Australia’s intelligence agency has linked an attack on a Jewish restaurant in Sydney to Iran’s military, as part of a larger plot involving multiple intermediaries. The investigation, which took months to complete, revealed that the attack was carried out at the behest of Iranian officials, who sought to undermine Australia’s social cohesion by targeting Jewish institutions.
The plot involved a group of Australians, including a 32-year-old man with a history of petty crimes, who were instructed to torch a business near Bondi Beach. However, instead of targeting a Jewish business, they set fire to the wrong establishment – a kosher eatery that had stood for over half a century.
Court documents suggest that the group’s leader, Sayed Moosawi, was being paid $8,000 to carry out the attack, and that he used an alias “James Bond” on social media. However, instead of carrying out the intended target, they set fire to a non-Jewish business, which suffered significant damage.
The Australian government has cut off diplomatic ties with Iran and expelled its ambassador and three other diplomats in response to the allegations. The Prime Minister described the incident as “foreign action and foreign violence being committed against Australians, funded and using criminal elements here.”
The investigation also revealed that another attack on a Melbourne synagogue had been linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, and that the country may be behind other episodes targeting Jews in Australia. However, Iran has denied the allegations.
The incident highlights the ongoing threat of antisemitism and terrorism in Australia, and the need for the government to take action against those who seek to undermine the country’s social cohesion.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/27/world/australia/arson-antisemitism-australia-iran.html