Police charge men with conspiracy to commit arson, South Australia

Three men will face court today charged with conspiracy to commit arson.

Investigators from Serious and Organised Crime Branch will allege the conspiracy occurred in July 2020 and led to Molotov cocktails being thrown at a Renown Park home on 22 July 2020. Minor damage was caused to the property.

The arrests are a result of the ongoing review of AN0M messaging by Task Force Ironside investigators.

It will be alleged the men were users of AN0M encrypted communication devices which were used to organise, direct and carry out the arson. The investigation and review of the AN0M messaging relating to this incident is ongoing and further arrests are expected.

The men charged with the conspiracy are a 29-year-old from Andrews Farm, a 27-year-old from Salisbury and a 42-year-old from Northfield. The men have been refused police bail and will appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court later today.

“Investigators attached to Task Force Ironside have a laser sharp focus on identifying serious offending that impacts community safety as they meticulously review the hundreds of thousands of captured AN0M messages”, said Detective Chief Inspector Darren Fielke, Officer in Charge of Drug and Organised Crime Task Force.

“Those individuals who thought they could hide behind the wall of the AN0M encrypted communications platform have, and will continue to be exposed, no matter what the circumstances of them being in possession of these devices were. There is no doubt that further arrests will occur and those users of the AN0M platform should not be surprised to see Task Force Ironside investigators knocking at their door.”

/Public Release. View in full here.