4585 - INCIDENTS INVESTIGATED UNDER STRIKE FORCE PEARL
Key details
- Asking member:
- Mark Latham
- Addressed to portfolio:
- Police and Counter-terrorism
- Minister responsible:
- Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism, and Minister for the Hunter
- Representing minister:
- Minister for Agriculture, Minister for Regional New South Wales, and Minister for Western New South Wales
- Asked on:
- Wed 01 October 2025
- Answer received on:
- Thu 23 October 2025
- Question published in:
- Question and Answers Paper No. 595
- Answer published in:
- Question and Answers Paper No. 610
Question
(1) I refer you to the answer provided to the recent Budget Estimates, on notice, by the acting Police Commissioner Peter Thurtell regarding serious attacks on people and property motivated by antisemitic ideology, such that, "Fourteen incidents were investigated under Strike Force Pearl which were at the higher end of offending, being attacks on synagogues, graffitti, firebombings, attacks on cars and attacks on houses", and ask:
(a) of these 14, how many were investigations of incidents that did not lead to any charges being laid?
(b) of the remaining (where charges were laid), how many were perpetrated by:
(i) Iran or agents of the Iranian regime?
(ii) other foreign agents?
(iii) people associated with and paid by organised crime figures?
(c) Of those not covered by (a) and (b) (that is, were a product of genuine homegrown anti-semitic ideology), what was the nature of the incident and what criminal proceedings have been pursued by the NSW Police Force?
Answer
I am advised that:
(1)
(a) All 14 incidents have resulted in charges being laid.
(b)
(i) Strike Force Pearl investigated 14 incidents which were at the higher end of offending, being attacks on synagogues, graffiti, firebombings, attacks on cars and attacks on houses. The NSW Police Force has nil holdings in relation to Iran or agents of the Iranian regime perpetrating these incidents.
(ii) Strike Force Pearl investigated 14 incidents which were at the higher end of offending, being attacks on synagogues, graffiti, firebombings, attacks on cars and attacks on houses. The NSW Police Force has nil holdings in relation to foreign agents perpetrating these incidents.
(iii) 13.
(c) Two people were charged with Use Carriage Service to menace/harass/offend, Sec 474.17 Criminal Code, in relation to the Bankstown nurses' incident where a live-stream conversation recorded threats against Jewish patients attending Bankstown Hospital. One of those people was additionally charged with Threaten Violence to Group, Sec 80 .28A Criminal Code.