On Monday, Australian police announced a renewed effort to solve the 1982 bombings that targeted the Jewish community and offered a $1 million reward for information.
On December 23, 1982, the Israeli consulate in Sydney was struck by an explosion. Four hours later, a vehicle bomb detonated in Bondi’s Hakoah Club’s basement.
The blasts, which resulted in a few injuries but no fatalities, were described by police as Australia’s “first terrorism cold case” and an act of “international terrorism inspired by Palestinian nationalism.”
A single guy was briefly accused in relation to the 1983 attacks, but the case was dismissed before the trial even began.
According to Mark Walton, the counterterrorism commander for the New South Wales Police, there is a monetary reward of little over US$680,000 available for information that results in criminal prosecutions.
He claimed that three people in particular — two men and one woman — were wanted by authorities because they were believed to be in possession of vital information.
In many investigation tactics, he added, “rewards are an important tool, particularly if we know there is a hesitation or fear of submitting information to police.”
“These attacks have remained in the hearts and minds of Jewish, Israeli and Australian communities – and certainly never forgotten by investigators.”
The reward coincided with a new coronial investigation into the bombings.
