On the first day of the Coronial Inquiry into Australia’s first terrorism cold case, the NSW Government has announced the reward for information leading to the conviction of those responsible has been increased to $1 million.
About 2pm on Thursday 23 December 1982, a bomb exploded directly in front of the Israeli Consulate in Westfield Towers on William Street, Sydney.
A number of people were injured by shrapnel and glass, as well as being thrown across the room from impacts of the explosion.
The building sustained significant damage, reducing the internal stairs to rubble and creating a 30cm hole in the concrete steel-reinforced floor.
Later that day, the Hakoah Club was hosting hundreds of competitors for the Maccabi Games when a Valiant, which was parked in the basement of the club, exploded about 6.45pm.
While the device detonated, fortunately, the full potential of the blast did not eventuate. No one was injured, but it is believed the blast was intended to collapse the building
Investigations into the attacks were commenced and were quickly linked together and deemed to be acts of international terrorism motivated by Palestinian nationalism.
Extensive investigations were conducted, and a man was charged in 1983, however, the matter was no billed before the commencement of the trial.
In 2011, investigators from the NSW Joint Counter Terrorism Team (JCTT) established Strike Force Forbearance to re-investigate the bombings.
The NSW Government announced a $100,000 reward in December 2012, which generated a number fresh of lines of inquiry. However, to date, no one has been charged.
Read the article from NSW Police.