Australia calls arson of Melbourne synagogue act of terror

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Sunday dubbed the arson that ravaged the Adass Israel synagogue in the suburbs of Melbourne a "terrorist" act, rejecting criticism that his government's policies may have contributed to sparking the attack.

Masked arsonists set fire to the synagogue before dawn on Friday, destroying a large part of the building, without causing serious injuries. "Quite clearly terrorism is something that is aimed at creating fear in the community, and the attacks on the synagogue in Melbourne clearly were," Albanese said at a press conference in Perth.