Former Nomads bikie boss allegedly directed ‘James Bond’ arson attacks in Bondi
Finnegan and Bantoft, who later plead guilty, were being directed by a man identified on an encrypted messaging app only as “James Bond”.
Brewery bar and restaurant Curly Lewis on Campbell Parade, Bondi Beach.Credit: James Evans
Court documents from their case reveal the pair believed “James Bond” had sent them to the wrong address.
Despite the fuel poured in the entryway of the Campbell Parade business, it self-extinguished in about a minute but caused $65,000 worth of damage.
“Use [sic] f—ed the whole thing now If use [sic] f—ing couldn’t do it from the start then why did use [sic] even went there for f— me It’s not even 2% burned f— me dead,” Bond wrote to Guy Finnegan the day after a botched fire.
The next day Bantoft texted Finnegan asking: “So what now… So is he paying or nah[?]”
Later in conversation, Finnegan texted: “Was it the right place, what was damaged[?]
“I’m starting to think he has sent us to the wrong place LoL.”
Police on Monday would not confirm whether they had arrested the person behind the Bond moniker.
Days later, between 2:30 and 4:30am on 20 October, Moosawi allegedly damaged Lewis Continental Kitchen with fire, according to court documents.
Two other men are before the courts accused of carrying out that second Bondi arson attack.
The charges laid
- Nicholas Alexander, 31, was arrested at Camperdown for allegedly preparing and staging cars for the attacks. He was refused bail until April.
- Two men were arrested on the Central Coast – Zac Hall,18, from San Remo and Ryan Hughes, 20, from Canton Beach. Police allege the pair provided vehicles for an arson attack on a childcare centre in Maroubra on January 21 that did more than $3 million damage. Both have been bailed.
- Henry Masivoivoi, 33, was arrested at Wentworthville over allegedly spray painting cars and homes in Kingsford on February 2. He has been refused bail.
- Ford Powell, 25, was arrested at a Box Hill home for allegedly spray painting cars and homes at Queens Park on January 11. He is bail refused.
- Mohammed Hijazi, 40, and a second man, 30, were arrested at a Penshurst home and taken to Kogarah Police Station. Police will allege in court that Hijazi graffitied a home and a school at Maroubra, a shopping centre at Eastgardens, and a home at Eastlakes. He has been refused bail. The younger man was charged with possess or use a prohibited weapon without permit and possess prohibited drug. Police will allege in court that an electronic stun device and steroids were seized during the warrant at the Penshurst property. He was bailed.
- A 26-year-old man, arrested at Wentworth Point, was charged with prohibited drugs, proceeds of crime, possess encrypted device to commit serious criminal activity and failing to grant police access to his phone. He was bailed by police.
- Anthony Tannous, 23, and a second man, 37, were arrested after being transferred from a prison. The younger man was charged with participate criminal group, contribute criminal activity, destroy/damage property intend criminal activity of group¸ drive conveyance taken without consent of owner, supply prohibited drug – indictable and possess prohibited drug. Tannous allegedly spray painted homes and cars at Queens Park in the January 11 attacks and was refused bail. The older man was charged for weapons possession and for being an accessory in the Maroubra child care centre arson attack.
- Two more prisoners were arrested including Sayed Moosawi, 34, who allegedly directed arson attacks at Bondi Beach. The older man was charged allegedly broke into a Bondi business on October 20, 2024 and set it alight. Both remain in custody.
- Cassie Crowder, 26, was charged at Sutherland with being part of a criminal group. The drug methamphetamine and prescription medications were seized during the search of a vehicle at Sutherland and a warrant at a Campbelltown property.
- A 27-year-old woman was also charged over drugs at an Eastlake home.
Outside court, Moosawi’s lawyer said his client denied any involvement in both arson attacks and would fight the charges.
NSW Premier Chris Minns insisted on Tuesday the attacks across Sydney had “unleashed terror” in the Jewish community. Speaking to Ben Fordham on 2GB, Minns said despite the revelation of fabrication of the incidents, “the terror and fear that was struck by these individuals was real”.
“It still happened, and it was appalling for the community, particularly the Jewish community in NSW.”
NSW Premier Chris Minns said the attacks across Sydney had “unleashed terror” in the Jewish community.Credit: Steven Siewert
Later on Tuesday, Minns rejected suggestions he acted incorrectly by rushing out to label the Dural discovery a possible mass casualty event despite scepticism among the Australian Federal Police.
But Minns refused to specify exactly when he was briefed that the caravan was an organised crime plot, only saying it would not have been a “definitive declaration”.
“I can’t tell you the exact dates of when I was briefed other than to say I was briefed three times a week about these investigations for months,” he told reporters.
Alex Ryvchin visited his former home hours after the attack.Credit: James Brickwood
Asked whether he was concerned about a potential communications breakdown between NSW Police and their federal counterparts, Minns said: “I’ll leave that up to the police agencies”.
The co-chief executive officer of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, Alex Ryvchin said he did not believe Jewish Australians were safer than previously thought after the police revelations.
Speaking on ABC Radio National, Ryvchin said a conclusion could not be definitively drawn. “Ultimately, the things that we’ve seen took place, they weren’t hoaxes. Individuals in our country saw fit to pack a caravan with 40kg of explosives,” he said.
“The fact that they weren’t then intending to actually detonate it, I think is a source of relief, but the fact that there are people who would do this, who would carry out fire bombings on residential streets, who would target the Jewish community to spread fear and advance their own personal interests, I think that adds a dose of terror to what’s already transpiring that we’ve seen over the past year alone.”
Ryvchin’s former Dover Heights home was targeted during the series of antisemitic attacks.
Fourteen people have now been charged after being arrested in the Strike Force Pearl raids on Monday.Credit: NSW Police
Others remain before the courts, including Tammie Farrugia, her partner Scott Marshall, and their friend Simon Nichols, who are alleged to be on the “periphery” of the caravan plot.
None have been charged with terrorism offences.
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