A caravan that contained enough explosives for a 40-metre wide blast and notes containing the addresses of Jewish people and institutions was left abandoned for 12 days on a semi-rural road in Dural, northwest of Sydney.
It was found by a resident on January 19 and reported to authorities, sparking a massive multi-agency probe with more than 100 counter-terrorism investigators.
A potential anti-Jewish plot involving a caravan full of explosives has been thwarted. (Abc News/AAP PHOTOS)
Arrests have been made "around the periphery", with some connected to other alleged anti-Semitic attacks, but those responsible remain at large, police said on Wednesday.
NSW Premier Chris Minns confirmed the van's owner was among those in custody.
"I want the public to rest assured that, firstly, the caravan is in police custody," he told ABC TV on Thursday morning.
"Secondly, as has been reported in the media, the owner of the van is in police custody as well, and inquiries continue and nothing will stop until NSW Police have arrested those who are responsible for this."
The discovery of the van and subsequent investigation was not made public for 10 days.
The premier said he was briefed on January 20 and the information was kept "clandestine" strictly for operational purposes, allowing police to stay a step ahead of suspects.
"Sometimes the police work behind the scenes," Mr Minns told Sky News.
"Now I don't want the public to believe that anyone was twiddling their thumbs over the last 10 days - the exact opposite is the case.
"But the police judgment in this case, I believe needs to be backed. We need politics for one side and let the police get on with the job."
It was easy for some politicians to demand the information be released immediately, especially with the federal election looming, Mr Minns said.
"I would just urge everybody to let NSW Police conduct these investigations," he said.
"The stakes couldn't be higher. Politics can wait for another day."
Anthony Albanese joined the chorus of politicians to condemn the wanted culprits and didn't quibble with Mr Minns' description of the incident being an act of terrorism.
"It's clearly designed to harm people, but it's also designed to create fear in the community, and that is a very definition," the prime minister told ABC Radio Sydney.
I'm deeply alarmed by the news of a caravan filled with explosives, intended to carry out a mass casualty attack against the Jewish community in Sydney. This comes just days after International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Jews fled to Australia to escape the same hatred that fuels…— Amir Maimon (@MaimonAmir) January 29, 2025
Israel's Ambassador to Australia Amir Maimon was deeply alarmed over the foiled act, saying he had been assured that every measure was being taken to protect the community.
Local Jewish groups have also expressed concern, with the Zionist Federation of Australia calling it a manifestation of intolerance towards Jews and the most severe threat to the Jewish community in Australia to date.
Cars have been set alight, a synagogue burnt down and anti-Semitic slurs painted on buildings and cars in a spate of attacks that have escalated in frequency and severity since December, with Mr Hudson saying this discovery was an "escalation".
