Australian court frees arsonist behind synagogue attack

The 35-year-0ld man accused of setting fire to a Melbourne synagogue did not act out of antisemitic hatred, a judge has ruled.

By World Israel News Staff

An Australian court has ruled out antisemitism as the motivation behind an arson attack on a Melbourne synagogue last year, releasing the perpetrator from jail after he was found to be mentally ill.

On Monday, Magistrate Malcolm Thomas ordered that 35-year-old Angelo Loras be released, after Loras pleaded guilty to arson and putting people at risk of death over the July 4th, 2024 torching of the entrance of a local synagogue.

The fire was sparked while some 20 congregants of the East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation were inside celebrating the Sabbath at the time of the arson.

No one was injured, but the synagogue sustained tens of thousands of dollars in damages.

Loras was later arrested and held in solitary confinement for 134 days, which Thomas slammed as “nothing short of disgraceful.”

While Thomas sentenced Loras to four months in prison for the arson, Loras’ time in jail before and during the trial was taken into consideration. Since it exceeded the 120-day sentence, he was released Monday.

Magistrate Thomas noted that Loras, who was homeless at the time of the arson, had a history of mental illness, including schizophrenia, and that he had not been taking his required medication when he set fire to the synagogue.

As part of the sentence, Loras has been ordered to undergo treatment for his condition for the next 20 months, and to perform community service.

During the trial, Loras claimed he was unaware that the building he was setting fire to was a Jewish house of worship, a claim Thomas relied on in part for his assertion that antisemitism played no part in the incident.

“This is an entirely different case to how it was considered, what it represented. He’s a man who’s clearly been very unwell and unwell for a long time,” Thomas said.

“It is in the community’s long-term interests that there be a smooth transition for Mr. Loras back into the community and integration with the non-custodial mental health system.”