A woman linked to an explosives-laden caravan potentially being readied for attacks on Jewish sites has already been charged over an anti-Semitic incident and allegedly used social media to buy the vehicle.
A major, multi-agency probe including 100 counter-terrorism investigators was sparked when the abandoned caravan was found on a semi-rural road in Sydney's northwest outskirts and reported to authorities on January 19.
The find prompted state and federal leaders to brand the incident a potential terrorist event, although authorities cautioned there was no ongoing danger and ASIO left the national terror threat level unchanged.
On Thursday, the morning after news broke of the find, police revealed the caravan's registered owner was already in custody on unrelated charges.
The allegations against the man stem from a strike force set up to find those responsible for escalating anti-Semitic incidents in Sydney.
He and his partner were allegedly named on a search warrant that residents said police executed on the Dural property near where the caravan was found.
The woman is also in custody after being accused of being part of an anti-Semitic attack in Sydney's eastern suburbs that included "Kill Israiel" (sic) being sprayed on buildings and footpaths.
In December, a social media account in her name posted: "Anyone got a caravan for sale need one ASAP I've got $$$."
Police said a significant store of Powergel, an explosive typically used on mining sites, was inside the caravan - enough to create a 40-metre-wide blast zone.
No detonator was found inside, however a list of Jewish-linked sites was located.
NSW Police Deputy Commissioner David Hudson said the caravan's registered owner was already in custody on "peripheral charges" at the time the discovery was made.
Details of the find were only made public on Wednesday afternoon, 10 days after the caravan was reported to police, when media reported information about it.
The investigation had already been "significantly compromised" by media leaks, forcing a rethink of investigators' strategies, Mr Hudson said.
Robert, the owner of the Dural property near where the caravan was parked, said he had driven past the vehicle a number of times and thought nothing of it.
“Someone pulls up outside your house with some explosives - would you be frightened?” he said.
Authorities would also not be drawn on any potential links between the caravan find and the influence of foreign actors, who federal investigators have said could be behind some of the recent anti-Semitic attacks in Australia.
Despite the escalation in anti-Semitic incidents, the national intelligence and security agency opted not to lift the terrorism threat level from "probable".
"We have seen a disturbing escalation in the targeting of Jewish interests, and a disturbing escalation in the severity and recklessness of the targeting, with general harassment and intimidation moving to the targeting of people and places," ASIO director-general Mike Burgess said in a statement.
"The current terrorism threat level is the same as it was at the height of the Islamic State caliphate.
"While the caravan matter in NSW remains under police investigation, ASIO does not believe there is an ongoing threat to public safety."
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese joined the chorus of politicians to condemn those behind the potential bomb plot, while Opposition Leader Peter Dutton repeated his calls for tougher action to crack down on anti-Semitic crimes.
NSW police are also investigating three separate anti-Semitic graffiti incidents in Sydney overnight, including the apparent targeting of Mount Sinai College, a Jewish primary school in the city's east.
They follow a spate of recent attacks, including the arson of a childcare centre near a synagogue, the targeting of a Jewish community leader's former home and the spray-painting of anti-Semitic slurs in various prominent locations.
