Ep 2. Turkish Consulate Bombing

Forensic Investigators Season 3 Episode 2 - Turkish Consulate Bombing

The second episode of the third season of Forensic Investigators is titled “Turkish Consulate Bombing”. The series showcases the workings of the police force as they use forensic evidence to crack high-profile cases in Australia.

This episode focuses on the tragic Turkish Consulate Bombing that occurred in Sydney on 27th July, 1986. The suburbs of Maroubra and Bondi were rocked by the explosion, killing two people, injuring many, and causing substantial damage to the consulate building.

The attack was initially thought to be an act of terrorism, targeting the Turkish Government in response to its involvement in the Kurdish-Turkish conflict. However, as the investigation progressed, it became evident that the motive of the attack was not politically motivated.

Detective Constable Gary Jubelin, who led the investigation, recalls the overwhelming presence of evidence at the crime scene. He says, “As soon as we arrived, it was apparent we had a major incident. There was debris and damage everywhere.”

The forensic team quickly took control of the scene. A detailed examination of the debris led the team to the conclusion that the bomb was contained in a car parked next to the consulate building. The team’s assessment was based on the presence of fragments of car parts, such as a bumper and a headlight.

The detectives discovered that the car had been stolen and used solely for the purpose of this attack. The team was able to identify the vehicle and its owner using forensic evidence. The car was crushed and the owner had sold it as scrap metal, but the police were able to salvage a piece of metal that had not been destroyed. This piece contained vital forensic evidence that ultimately led to the perpetrator’s arrest.

As the investigation continued, detectives were stumped for a motive. The Australian Federal Police (AFP) appealed to the public for information, and several credible leads soon emerged. One of the witnesses who was near the car when the bomb detonated reported seeing a suspicious man in the area.

This man was a member of a Lebanese gang, and following a tip-off, he was arrested. However, it soon became clear he was not involved in the attack – but this lead did not go unnoticed by the police. They discover links between the Lebanese gang and a criminal group operating in the Maroubra area. This led them to the main suspect, Anthony Perish.

Anthony Perish was known to police and had served a prison sentence for drug importation. He lived in a wealthy suburb on the North Shore and had longstanding connections with a number of criminal networks in the area. His drug trafficking activities were believed to be the primary reason behind the bombing.

The investigation team conducted extensive surveillance on Perish and his associates. They placed a recording device in his car and were able to obtain key evidence in the form of recorded conversations. This evidence was crucial in securing Perish’s conviction.

The case went to trial in 2008, more than twenty years after the bombing. During the trial, the forensic evidence was the key piece of evidence. The forensic experts reconstructed the car using the debris from the crime scene and were able to prove that the bomb was placed in the car by Perish.

Perish was found guilty of the bombing and sentenced to life imprisonment in 2009. The successful conviction was largely attributed to the forensic analysis conducted at the crime scene, which allowed the investigators to piece together the entire sequence of events and provide a solid trail of evidence for the prosecution.

Overall, the Turkish Consulate Bombing was a complex and challenging case that engaged the full resources of the AFP and the NSW Police Force. It took more than two decades to uncover the plot and secure a conviction, but the tireless efforts of the forensic team and the detectives paid off in the end, ensuring justice was served.