Australian Citizen in Iran Orchestrated 2024 Bondi Firebombing, ASIO Says
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Jun 24
Australian Citizen in Iran Orchestrated 2024 Bondi Firebombing, ASIO Says
3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jun 24
Summary
ASIO said an Australian citizen serving as a senior intelligence officer for Iran orchestrated the October 2024 firebombing of Lewis’ Continental Kitchen in Bondi, while a former Australian resident in Iraq allegedly directed the December attack on Melbourne’s Adass Israel synagogue.
Mike Burgess said the two offshore operatives were tied to the IRGC Quds Force and sought to promote hatred, foster antisemitism and incite violence against Iran’s perceived enemies.
Burgess cast the cases as part of a broader security deterioration already hitting Australia, saying December’s antisemitic Bondi Beach shooting killed 15 people and showed the expected end-of-decade threat surge had already arrived.
The spy chief said ASIO is also confronting coerced repatriation campaigns by at least 5 regimes, espionage targeting AUKUS and critical infrastructure, and online polarisation that is accelerating radicalisation and distrust.
As terror and espionage threats merge, is Australia's security framework becoming obsolete?
Foreign spies are hunting AUKUS secrets online. Is our biggest defence project secure from digital espionage?
With Iran now directing attacks on our soil, how is Australia fighting back against state-sponsored terrorism?
15 Killed at Bondi Beach: How Intelligence Gaps and Antisemitism Led to Australia’s Deadliest Terror Attack Since 2014
Overview
In December 2025, the Bondi Beach terror attack shocked Australia, resulting in many casualties and highlighting a backdrop of rising antisemitism, which had reached record levels just before the attack. The tragedy led to immediate public and government responses, including widespread calls for a royal commission to investigate the circumstances. Although Prime Minister Anthony Albanese initially resisted, strong pressure from victims' families and community leaders led to the establishment of a comprehensive inquiry. This sequence of events revealed deep concerns about public safety, government accountability, and the urgent need to address escalating antisemitism in Australia.