Inside the ‘James Bond’ arson attack in Bondi allegedly directed by Iran

The Iranian government allegedly secretly pulled the strings behind a “disturbing” antisemitic arson attack in Bondi Beach – but court documents obtained by the Herald allege inept Sydney crooks and a gangster masquerading as a famous spy bungled the operation.

The revelation of Iran’s involvement raises more questions over the true origins of a wave of anti-Jewish hate crimes in Sydney which police linked to an exiled gangster, including a spate of firebombings and the fake Dural caravan explosives plot.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Tuesday revealed the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps directed arson attacks on Lewis’ Continental Kitchen in Sydney and on the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne late last year.

But court documents show the targeting of the kosher deli in Bondi only came after two botched attempts on the wrong business.

The documents were provided to this masthead by the NSW Supreme Court after the alleged mastermind, Sayed Moosawi, was released on bail this month. They allege the Nomads bikie chapter president used the name “James Bond” on the encrypted messaging app Signal to direct the attacks.

“I got something good lined up,” Moosawi allegedly messaged associate Wayne Ogden on the evening of September 30, 2024.

The court documents state that two weeks later Ogden drove a white Honda Accord with stolen licence plates along the M5 through Arncliffe, with the car’s owner, Juon Amuoi, in the passenger seat.

It was just past 2am when the pair parked in Bondi Beach, pulled on rubber gloves and balaclavas and walked toward the Curly Lewis Brewery, according to the documents. Police describe the venue as “a popular licensed premises on the beachfront promenade” with no links to the Jewish faith or community.

Amuoi allegedly carried a sledgehammer, but the pair were “spooked” after being spotted by a member of the public, and fled.

“Use both fail the test cant do one small thing, f---ing 16 years kid could of got it done,” Moosawi allegedly lambasted Ogden.

Ogden pledged to “fix that f--- up” and, the following evening, went with Amuoi and Moosawi for a meeting at the Villawood Hotel.

Inside the pokies room, the trio met with two more men, Guy Finnegan and Craig Bantoft, the court documents state.

Moosawi allegedly told the group he was paid $12,000 to organise a fire in Bondi and offered Finnegan and Bantoft $4000 to carry out the job.

Ogden gave them instructions which suggested Lewis’ Continental Kitchen on Curlewis Street was the target, the documents state.

However, at 1am on October 17, Finnegan and Bantoft allegedly drove back to Curly Lewis Brewery.

The pair allegedly sat on a bench out the front of the closed brewery before pouring bottles of accelerant under the door and setting it on fire. It was extinguished by the sprinklers.

Moosawi, the documents allege, was furious.

“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 done 2% burned f--- me dead,” Moosawi allegedly messaged Finnegan the following morning.

Finnegan messaged Bantoft, venting about Moosawi’s alleged blow-up.

“I’m starting to think he has sent us to the wrong place LoL,” Finnegan said.

Police arrested Finnegan within 24 hours before Ogden allegedly returned to finish the job at Lewis’ Continental Kitchen at 2:30am on October 20.

Ogden allegedly forced his way through the rear entrance, poured a jerrycan of fuel around the kitchen and set the restaurant alight.

Smoke billowed out and residents were evacuated as the group’s third alleged attempt to burn down the eatery finally succeeded. It caused more than $1 million in damage.

Bantoft and Finnegan pleaded guilty to setting fire to the Curly Lewis Brewery and were imprisoned for rafts of additional charges.

Ogden and Amuoi are fighting multiple charges over the Lewis’ Continental Kitchen attack, held on remand ahead of further hearings on October 21. Moosawi was granted bail after posting $2 million surety and will return to court the same day on charges of directing a criminal group and accessory to destroy property with fire.

Letters to the court from close supporters and family say Moosawi came to Australia with his family as refugees from Afghanistan in 2005.

He has a history of violence dating to his teenage years, then more recently, drugs, kidnapping, more violence, and gun charges.

Moosawi has not been charged with any crimes linking him to Iran and there are no mentions of the country in the redacted court documents. Sources within law enforcement, not permitted to speak publicly, told the Herald that Iran has been working with outlaw bikie gangs for years.

ASIO director-general Mike Burgess on Tuesday said there was a “layer cake of cut-outs” between the IRGC and alleged offenders carrying out attacks in Australia.

“In between them, they tap into a number of people,” Burgess said.

“Agents of IRGC and people that they know in the criminal world and work through there so it’s this … chain.”

NSW Police initially dismissed concerns the firebombing at Lewis’ Continental Kitchen was an antisemitic attack. However, weeks later they established Strike Force Pearl to investigate a spate of antisemitic attacks across Sydney, which took charge of the investigation.

Both NSW and the Australian Federal Police in March this year revealed organised crime figures were suspected to be behind all 15 incidents being investigated by Pearl, including anti-Israel or antisemitic graffiti and arson attacks.

Police sources on Tuesday told the Herald they still believed Sayit Akca, an alleged drug importer hiding offshore, directed the vast bulk of the attacks under Pearl’s purview. Akca denied the allegations in an ABC interview, but did admit to orchestrating the hoax Dural caravan terrorism plot in a bid for leniency from Australian authorities.

At this stage, only the Bondi arson attacks are firmly believed to be Iranian directed – but ASIO did not rule out further crimes could be sheeted home to the IRGC.

“This is a painstaking, long investigation. These matters are hard, and it’s taken us this long to have the evidence to actually know that the Iranians directed these attacks,” Burgess said.

NSW Premier Chris Minns was briefed by the prime minister before the announcement on Tuesday.

“The revelations about Iran and its proxies’ involvement in directing violent, antisemitic attacks on Australian soil are deeply disturbing and utterly unacceptable,” Minns said.

Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin, whose former home in Dover Heights was firebombed in January in one antisemitic attack, said the owners of the Lewis Continental Kitchen were “beside themselves”.

“It’s a small family running a small business, and they’re deeply concerned for their safety,” he said.

Liberal MP Kellie Sloane, whose electorate of Vaucluse includes the Bondi kitchen, said: “Today’s news is chilling and confirms the fears that many members of the Jewish community already held.”

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