MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) 鈥� Police charged a third suspect on Friday with an arson attack on a that was allegedly .
The 20-year-old man was one of three masked offenders who broke into the , doused the interior with flammable liquid then set it alight in the early hours of Dec. 6, 2024, a police statement alleged.
The fire caused extensive damage to the synagogue and a worshipper sustained minor injuries.
The Victorian Joint Counter Terrorism Team, which brings together federal and state police with a spy agency, charged the man, who has not been named, with offenses including arson.
He was charged in a Melbourne jail where he was already being held in custody on unrelated offenses. Police declined to elaborate on those offenses.
His co-accused , 21, was arrested in July last year and another suspect, , 20, was arrested a month later.
Prime Minister last year accused Iran鈥檚 Revolutionary Guard of directing the synagogue fire and an arson attack two months earlier at a Sydney kosher eatery, Lewis鈥� Continental Kitchen.
Mike Burgess, director-general of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, the nation鈥檚 main domestic spy agency, said the Revolutionary Guard used a 鈥渃omplex web of proxies to hide its involvement鈥� in both antisemitic attacks.
Iran鈥檚 ambassador to Australia and another three Iranian diplomats were expelled. Tehran has denied Australia鈥檚 allegations.
Australian Federal Police Assistant Commissioner Peter Crozier told reporters on Friday that investigators were working with international partners in the continuing investigation.
Police were also investigating whether the three alleged arsonists knew who ordered the attack.
鈥淭hey may not actually be aware of the people who are directing or the principals of these investigations. That remains a key line of inquiry for us,鈥� Crozier said.
Victoria Police Acting Assistant Commissioner Paul O鈥橦alloran said police had informed the local Jewish community of the third arrest before the news was made public.
鈥淥ur heart goes out to them. Again, this brings back this terrible incident,鈥� O鈥橦alloran said.
鈥淧eople deserve the right to feel safe and be safe in their community and particularly at their place of worship. Today’s charges are a strong testament to this,鈥� he added.
The latest suspect will make his first court appearance on the new charges next week.
The Australian government has established a public inquiry to across the country, including the killing of 15 people when two gunmen opened fire on a Sydney in December.
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