**Caravan Explosive Plot: Australian Police Uncover Elaborate Hoax**

**Investigators determined that a caravan filled with explosives in Sydney was part of a criminal deception aimed at inciting unrest against the Jewish community.**

Australian Federal Police (AFP) have declared that the caravan found earlier this year in outer Sydney, which was initially feared to be part of a terrorist attack, was actually a "fabricated terrorism plot" devised by criminals. The discovery of the caravan, made on January 19th and packed with explosives capable of causing a significant blast, also included a note featuring antisemitic messages and a list of Jewish synagogues.

In the wake of this incident, which incited considerable public fear amidst a rise in antisemitic assaults across Australia, Deputy Commissioner of National Security Krissy Barrett revealed on Monday that authorities suspected it was a hoax almost immediately. According to Barrett, the New South Wales Joint Counter Terrorism Team quickly identified the situation as a "criminal con job". Their conclusion stemmed from various factors including the straightforward retrieval of the caravan, the conspicuousness of the explosives, and the absence of a detonator.

Despite their suspicions, police chose not to disclose their findings to the public at first out of caution, while they continued to receive tips regarding other purported terror schemes—many of which they now believe to be mere fabrications. The reported hoax involved multiple individuals collaborating to acquire a caravan, fill it with explosives and hateful propaganda, and leave it in a strategic location to alert law enforcement about a supposed impending attack on Jewish Australians.

Barrett explained that the plot was orchestrated by organized crime, both locally and internationally, with the leader intentionally distancing themselves and employing local criminals for various tasks. To date, that individual has not been apprehended. The deputy commissioner emphasized that this type of criminal deception—seeking to gain attention or divert resources to facilitate personal criminal agendas—is deeply harmful.

The implications of this hoax have been significant, creating an atmosphere of fear within the Jewish community while redirecting unwarranted suspicion against other groups. Barrett condemned the actions of organized crime as unacceptable, affirming that accountability will follow these disrespectful offenses. Meanwhile, New South Wales police have executed arrests related to antisemitic hate crimes under Strike Force Pearl, established in late 2024, in response to a troubling series of antisemitic incidents, including the vandalism and arson targeting Jewish sites in Sydney.