Australian man charged for threatening family with 'fake bomb,' allegedly over Palestine support

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) — An Australian man was charged by police Thursday for threatening a family in Sydney that one of the country's senators said had "openly supported" Palestine.

However, their backing for Palestine was not one of the motives identified by New South Wales police after the 44-year-old man planted a suspected bomb on the hood of the family's car outside their home in January.

Following an investigation into the item, police said a rescue and bomb squad had "deemed the item safe."

A member of the family later received a phone threat on Feb. 16, said the statement, adding that this triggered an investigation into the matter.

Police on Thursday executed a search warrant at another home in the eastern suburb of Botany, seized several items, and arrested the man.

He was charged with sending an "article to cause alarm," as well with intimidation, harassment, and trespassing.

However, Theo, the member of the family who was threatened, claimed that the item was indeed a bomb, according to local media.

According to Theo, "the investigating officer confirmed the item was an improvised explosive device without the ability to detonate remotely," the Michael West Media independent news website reported.

Instead, it added, police allegedly "downplayed" the incident and handed the probe "to a junior constable at the local police station who went on leave, rather than Counter-Terrorism police."

The website identified the suspect as David Wise.

Since Israel's offensive on the Gaza Strip began five months ago, widespread support for Palestine has erupted in Australia, with calls on the government of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to halt arms supplies to Tel Aviv.​​​​​​​

Israel has waged a deadly military offensive on the Gaza Strip since an Oct. 7 attack by the Palestinian group Hamas, which Tel Aviv said killed nearly 1,200 people.

More than 30,700 Palestinians have since been killed and over 72,000 others injured in Israeli attacks.