Australian PM Labels Caravan Filled With Explosives In Sydney As 'Act Of Terrorism'

(MENAFN- IANS) Canberra, Jan 30 (IANS) Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has agreed with police assertion that a caravan full of explosives in Sydney was an act of terrorism.

Authorities in the state of New South Wales (NSW) announced on Wednesday night that the caravan filled with explosives was found in the suburb of Dural -- about 25 km northwest of central Sydney -- on January 19, reports Xinhua news agency.

Speaking at a press conference, NSW Police Deputy Commissioner David Hudson said that a major investigation had been launched into whether the explosives were intended to be used in an antisemitic attack. NSW Premier Chris Minns labelled the caravan filled with explosives as an act of terrorism.

When asked on Thursday if he agreed with Minns' assertion, Albanese said he "certainly" did.

"It's clearly designed to harm people, but it's also designed to create fear in the community," he told Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) radio.

He said that NSW Police has not yet formally designated it as an act of terrorism but that the counter-terrorism team is investigating the incident.

The owner of a caravan found filled with explosives in northwest Sydney, the capital city of Australia's state of New South Wales (NSW), is already in police custody, authorities have said.

NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb, state Premier Chris Minns and deputy police commissioner David Hudsotheon Thursday said that the owner of the caravan was already in custody at the time of its discovery. They said that the owner had been arrested for alleged offences being investigated by a strike force investigating hate crimes.

Minns and Hudson on Wednesday night said that the caravan was found filled with enough explosives to cause a "mass casualty event" and documents indicating they were intended to be used in an antisemitic attack about 25 km northwest of central Sydney on January 19.

Webb said on Thursday that no detonator was found in the caravan.

"It's important that the public understands that not only has the caravan been removed and the contents removed from the public, but also the owner is out of play and in custody," she said.

"So the risk to the public has been mitigated early on."

Over 100 officers from multiple agencies have been assigned to investigate whether the caravan was preparation for a terrorism event, Webb said.

Both Webb and Minns defended the decision to keep the discovery secret for 10 days, saying it had allowed authorities to sift through the available evidence.

"If the police believe that covert means are the best way of locking up people who are responsible for these actions, that's what needs to happen," Minns said.

He promised that investigators would leave "no stone unturned".

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