Sydney Hilton bombing
Encyclopedia
The Sydney Hilton bombing occurred on 13 February 1978, when a bomb
exploded outside the Hilton Hotel in Sydney
, New South Wales
, Australia
. At the time the hotel was the site of the first Commonwealth Heads of Government Regional Meeting (CHOGRM), a regional off-shoot of the biennial meetings of the heads of government
from across the Commonwealth of Nations
. Two garbage men and one police officer were killed, with several others injured.
The perpertrators have never been found. Evidence that Australian security forces
may have been responsible led to the New South Wales parliament
unanimously calling for an inquiry in 1991 and 1995. The Government of Australia
vetoed any inquiry.
It also injured eleven others. Twelve foreign leaders were staying in the hotel at the time, but none was injured. Australian prime minister Malcolm Fraser
immediately called out the Australian Army
for the remainder of the CHOGRM meeting.
case of murder against two members of Ananda Marga
– Ross Dunn and Paul Alister (but not Tim Anderson) – based on evidence by Richard Seary, which was later discredited.
The Hilton bombing charges against Dunn and Alister were soon dropped. But Anderson, Dunn, and Alister had been convicted on different charges of conspiracy to murder Robert Cameron, Sydney leader of the Australian National Front
.
It was alleged that Richard Seary, a police informant, convinced Dunn and Alister to plant a bomb at Cameron's home. Anderson was to provide a press release. Dunn and Alister stated that they intended only to write graffiti at Cameron's home and that they had no knowledge of the bomb. Seary was an unreliable witness, having already given discredited evidence accusing Dunn and Alistair at the initial Hilton bombing inquest, being a drug addict and a "mentally disturbed fantasizer". However, there was also some police evidence. The prosecution had strongly associated the matter with the Sydney Hilton bombing.
A Royal Commission
, headed by Justice Wood
was established into the conviction of the three, and recommended their pardon
, and they were released in 1985. (This case did not directly cover the Hilton Bombing.)
Anderson was then re-arrested for the Sydney Hilton bombing, but this time he was acquitted in 1991 after the evidence of the main prosecution witness, Evan Pederick, was completely rejected by the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal.
Pederick had confessed to the bombing and so was convicted without detailed scrutiny of his confession. However, in the Anderson appeal Chief Justice Gleeson said Pederick's account of the bombing was "clearly unreliable". Pederick's later appeal was rejected when he produced no evidence to explain why he had falsely confessed. Pederick was released after serving eight years in jail and stated "I guess I was quite unique in the prison system in that I had to keep proving my guilt, whereas everyone else said they were innocent."
Coronial enquiries were limited in the scope. No person appearing before the coroner has a right to subpoena evidence without permission from the coroner, and in this inquest Walsh rejected all applications.
claimed that Ananda Marga
had attempted to kill him due to the imprisonment of the organisation's spiritual leader, Shrii Shrii Anandamurti
. (There had been other alleged attacks by Ananda Marga, namely on 15 September 1977 the military attaché at the Indian Embassy, Colonel Singh and his wife, were attacked in Canberra
. Just over a month later an Air India
employee in Melbourne
was stabbed.) ASIO
had infiltrated the Ananda Marga and were monitoring it.
There were a number of unusual circumstances surrounding the bombing, namely:
Many of these issues were identified by Terry Griffiths, a former policeman who was seriously injured in the bombing, who has called for an inquiry. Barry Hall QC, counsel for Griffiths, argued that ASIO
may well have planted the bomb in order to justify their existence. The 1982 Walsh inquest had been terminated prematurely due to the finding of a prima facie case of murder, which was based on discredited evidence by Richard Seary.
Sometime around 1983, police sergeant Ernie Tees visited the offices of publishers Wild & Woolley
and asked to see the manuscript for Free Alister Dunn and Anderson by Tim Anderson. Pat Woolley turned him away. 'It's at the National Library.' Several years later, in the 1990s, Richard Seary's father came to the same office where Wild & Woolley had set up its on demand print system Fast Books, and asked about self-publishing his son's 'real story'. He never returned. The manuscript is now at the State Library of NSW.
In 1991 and 1995 the NSW Parliament
unanimously called for a joint State-Federal inquiry into the bombing to examine whether there had been an official conspiracy. However, the Federal government
vetoed any inquiry, and none has been held.
event in Australia.
Prior to the bombing the security forces had been under considerable pressure. In South Australia
, the White inquiry into their police special branch was very critical, and ties with ASIO were cut. New South Wales
was about to have a similar inquiry. After the bombing, the NSW inquiry was never held, and the Commonwealth increased support for the anti-terrorism activities of the intelligence services.
Former New South Wales Premier Morris Iemma
commended Sydney City Council
for restoring the memorial plaque to its original home, and says he hopes there will never be a need for any more.
Bomb
A bomb is any of a range of explosive weapons that only rely on the exothermic reaction of an explosive material to provide an extremely sudden and violent release of energy...
exploded outside the Hilton Hotel in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. At the time the hotel was the site of the first Commonwealth Heads of Government Regional Meeting (CHOGRM), a regional off-shoot of the biennial meetings of the heads of government
Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting
The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, , is a biennial summit meeting of the heads of government from all Commonwealth nations. Every two years the meeting is held in a different member state, and is chaired by that nation's respective Prime Minister or President, who becomes the...
from across the Commonwealth of Nations
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
. Two garbage men and one police officer were killed, with several others injured.
The perpertrators have never been found. Evidence that Australian security forces
Australian Security Intelligence Organisation
The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation is Australia's national security service, which is responsible for the protection of the country and its citizens from espionage, sabotage, acts of foreign interference, politically-motivated violence, attacks on the Australian defence system, and...
may have been responsible led to the New South Wales parliament
Parliaments of the Australian states and territories
The Parliaments of the Australian states and territories are legislative bodies within the federal framework of the Commonwealth of Australia. Before the formation of the Commonwealth in 1901, the six Australian colonies were self-governing, with parliaments which had come into existence at various...
unanimously calling for an inquiry in 1991 and 1995. The Government of Australia
Government of Australia
The Commonwealth of Australia is a federal constitutional monarchy under a parliamentary democracy. The Commonwealth of Australia was formed in 1901 as a result of an agreement among six self-governing British colonies, which became the six states...
vetoed any inquiry.
The bombing
The bomb, planted in a rubbish bin, exploded when the bin was emptied into a garbage truck outside the hotel at 12:40 a.m. It killed two garbage men, Alec Carter and William Favell. A police officer, Paul Birmistriw, guarding the entrance to the hotel lounge died later.It also injured eleven others. Twelve foreign leaders were staying in the hotel at the time, but none was injured. Australian prime minister Malcolm Fraser
Malcolm Fraser
John Malcolm Fraser AC, CH, GCL, PC is a former Australian Liberal Party politician who was the 22nd Prime Minister of Australia. He came to power in the 1975 election following the dismissal of the Whitlam Labor government, in which he played a key role...
immediately called out the Australian Army
Australian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
for the remainder of the CHOGRM meeting.
Inquiries, trials and Royal Commission
A coronial inquest was not held until four years later in 1982, although they are normally held within a few weeks. Stipendiary Magistrate Walsh found a prima faciePrima facie
Prima facie is a Latin expression meaning on its first encounter, first blush, or at first sight. The literal translation would be "at first face", from the feminine form of primus and facies , both in the ablative case. It is used in modern legal English to signify that on first examination, a...
case of murder against two members of Ananda Marga
Ananda Marga
Ananda Marga, organizationally known as Ananda Marga Pracaraka Samgha , meaning the samgha for the propagation of the marga of ananda , is a social and spiritual movement founded in Jamalpur, Bihar, India in 1955 by Shrii Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar .Ánanda Márga followers describe Ánanda Márga as a...
– Ross Dunn and Paul Alister (but not Tim Anderson) – based on evidence by Richard Seary, which was later discredited.
The Hilton bombing charges against Dunn and Alister were soon dropped. But Anderson, Dunn, and Alister had been convicted on different charges of conspiracy to murder Robert Cameron, Sydney leader of the Australian National Front
National Front (Australia)
The National Front of Australia was an Australia nationalist and anti-immigrant organisation that existed from 1977 to 1984. It was an initiative of John Tyndall of the British National Front but received no funding from the British NF...
.
It was alleged that Richard Seary, a police informant, convinced Dunn and Alister to plant a bomb at Cameron's home. Anderson was to provide a press release. Dunn and Alister stated that they intended only to write graffiti at Cameron's home and that they had no knowledge of the bomb. Seary was an unreliable witness, having already given discredited evidence accusing Dunn and Alistair at the initial Hilton bombing inquest, being a drug addict and a "mentally disturbed fantasizer". However, there was also some police evidence. The prosecution had strongly associated the matter with the Sydney Hilton bombing.
A Royal Commission
Royal Commission
In Commonwealth realms and other monarchies a Royal Commission is a major ad-hoc formal public inquiry into a defined issue. They have been held in various countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Saudi Arabia...
, headed by Justice Wood
James Roland Wood
The Honourable James Roland Tomson Wood AO, QC is the chairman of Law Reform Commission of New South Wales, the chairman of the New South Wales Sentencing Council, the Inspector of the Police Integrity Commission and a former judge in Australia.-Early years:...
was established into the conviction of the three, and recommended their pardon
Royal Commission into the New South Wales Police Service
The Royal Commission into the New South Wales Police Service was held in the State of New South Wales, Australia between 1995 and 1997. The Royal Commissioner was Justice James Roland Wood...
, and they were released in 1985. (This case did not directly cover the Hilton Bombing.)
Anderson was then re-arrested for the Sydney Hilton bombing, but this time he was acquitted in 1991 after the evidence of the main prosecution witness, Evan Pederick, was completely rejected by the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal.
Pederick had confessed to the bombing and so was convicted without detailed scrutiny of his confession. However, in the Anderson appeal Chief Justice Gleeson said Pederick's account of the bombing was "clearly unreliable". Pederick's later appeal was rejected when he produced no evidence to explain why he had falsely confessed. Pederick was released after serving eight years in jail and stated "I guess I was quite unique in the prison system in that I had to keep proving my guilt, whereas everyone else said they were innocent."
Coronial enquiries were limited in the scope. No person appearing before the coroner has a right to subpoena evidence without permission from the coroner, and in this inquest Walsh rejected all applications.
Accusations of conspiracy
The Indian prime minister Morarji DesaiMorarji Desai
Morarji Ranchhodji Desai was an Indian independence activist and the fourth Prime Minister of India from 1977–79. He was the first Indian Prime Minister who did not belong to the Indian National Congress...
claimed that Ananda Marga
Ananda Marga
Ananda Marga, organizationally known as Ananda Marga Pracaraka Samgha , meaning the samgha for the propagation of the marga of ananda , is a social and spiritual movement founded in Jamalpur, Bihar, India in 1955 by Shrii Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar .Ánanda Márga followers describe Ánanda Márga as a...
had attempted to kill him due to the imprisonment of the organisation's spiritual leader, Shrii Shrii Anandamurti
Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar
Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar , also known by his spiritual name, Shrii Shrii Anandamurti , was an Indian philosopher, author, social revolutionary, poet, composer and linguist...
. (There had been other alleged attacks by Ananda Marga, namely on 15 September 1977 the military attaché at the Indian Embassy, Colonel Singh and his wife, were attacked in Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
. Just over a month later an Air India
Air India
Air India is the flag carrier airline of India. It is part of the government of India owned Air India Limited . The airline operates a fleet of Airbus and Boeing aircraft serving Asia, Australia, Europe and North America. Its corporate office is located at the Air India Building at Nariman...
employee in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
was stabbed.) ASIO
Australian Security Intelligence Organisation
The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation is Australia's national security service, which is responsible for the protection of the country and its citizens from espionage, sabotage, acts of foreign interference, politically-motivated violence, attacks on the Australian defence system, and...
had infiltrated the Ananda Marga and were monitoring it.
There were a number of unusual circumstances surrounding the bombing, namely:
- The driver of the truck, Bill Ebb, stated that police had prevented three earlier trucks from emptying the bin which was overflowing with rubbish.
- The garbage bin had not been searched for bombs. Searching bins is normally a high priority, and is specified in New South Wales police permanent circular 135.
- The entire truck and all bomb fragments were dumped immediately afterwards at an unrecorded location. This prevented forensic evidenceForensic identificationForensic identification is the application of forensic science, or "forensics", and technology to identify specific objects from the trace evidence they leave, often at a crime scene or the scene of an accident. Forensic means "for the courts"....
, such as the type of explosive used, from being gathered . (This was compared to the detailed evidence retrieved from the Pan Am Flight 103 that exploded at 30,000 feet.) - Army dog handler Keith Burley said that his dogs could smell very small quantities of explosives, and were expected to be used for the event. He said they were unexpectedly called off a few days prior without explanation.
- The officer-in-charge of police immediately after the bombing, Inspector Ian MacDonald, claimed there had been a "cover-up"
- Former Attorney General of New South WalesAttorney General of New South WalesThe Attorney General of New South Wales, usually known simply as the Attorney General, is one of the Law Officers of the Crown. Along with the subordinate Solicitor General of New South Wales and Crown Solicitor, the Attorney General serves as the chief legal adviser of the Crown and its government...
Frank Walker and Federal Government Senator Gareth EvansGareth Evans (politician)Gareth John Evans, AO, QC , is a former Australian politician from 1978 to 1999 representing the Australian Labor Party, serving in a number of ministries including Attorney-General and Foreign Minister from 1983 to 1996 in the Hawke and Keating governments. He was president and chief executive...
had been told by a CSIRO scientist that under pressure from ASIOAustralian Security Intelligence OrganisationThe Australian Security Intelligence Organisation is Australia's national security service, which is responsible for the protection of the country and its citizens from espionage, sabotage, acts of foreign interference, politically-motivated violence, attacks on the Australian defence system, and...
they had made two fake bombs in the week prior to the bombing. The bombs were designed not to explode but could do so in a garbage truck compactor. - William Reeve-Parker provided a statutory declaration that an army officer had admitted planting the bomb by switching rubbish bins 24 hours earlier. Reeve-Parker denied knowledge of who the officer was, although he "had helped his son". Reeve-Parker was never called as a witness at the coronial inquest.
- The principal private secretary of a federal senator was told that the bomb squad was waiting nearby at this early hour of the morning. That would suggest that they knew about the bomb. The government would not permit people from the bomb squad to be called as witnesses to the inquest.
- Sgt Horton stated that he saw an occurrence pad entry that showed the warning call was received at 12:32, 8 minutes before the bomb exploded. It was not relayed instantly to the police out front. At the inquest four other versions of this pad were shown, each timing the call at 12:40. (It may not have been relayed because police already knew about the bomb and the call was merely a pretext to call the waiting bomb squad.)
- A police secretary received a call from a bomber. She put them onto CID.
Many of these issues were identified by Terry Griffiths, a former policeman who was seriously injured in the bombing, who has called for an inquiry. Barry Hall QC, counsel for Griffiths, argued that ASIO
Australian Security Intelligence Organisation
The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation is Australia's national security service, which is responsible for the protection of the country and its citizens from espionage, sabotage, acts of foreign interference, politically-motivated violence, attacks on the Australian defence system, and...
may well have planted the bomb in order to justify their existence. The 1982 Walsh inquest had been terminated prematurely due to the finding of a prima facie case of murder, which was based on discredited evidence by Richard Seary.
Sometime around 1983, police sergeant Ernie Tees visited the offices of publishers Wild & Woolley
Wild & Woolley
Wild & Woolley is an Australian book publisher founded in 1974 by Michael Wilding and Pat Woolley. The first books published by the firm were Zimmer's Essay and Wrappings by Vicki Viidikas....
and asked to see the manuscript for Free Alister Dunn and Anderson by Tim Anderson. Pat Woolley turned him away. 'It's at the National Library.' Several years later, in the 1990s, Richard Seary's father came to the same office where Wild & Woolley had set up its on demand print system Fast Books, and asked about self-publishing his son's 'real story'. He never returned. The manuscript is now at the State Library of NSW.
In 1991 and 1995 the NSW Parliament
Parliament of New South Wales
The Parliament of New South Wales, located in Parliament House on Macquarie Street, Sydney, is the main legislative body in the Australian state of New South Wales . It is a bicameral parliament elected by the people of the state in general elections. The parliament shares law making powers with...
unanimously called for a joint State-Federal inquiry into the bombing to examine whether there had been an official conspiracy. However, the Federal government
Government of Australia
The Commonwealth of Australia is a federal constitutional monarchy under a parliamentary democracy. The Commonwealth of Australia was formed in 1901 as a result of an agreement among six self-governing British colonies, which became the six states...
vetoed any inquiry, and none has been held.
Political effects and significance
Before the inquiries it was described in Parliament as the first and only domestic terroristTerrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
event in Australia.
Prior to the bombing the security forces had been under considerable pressure. In South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
, the White inquiry into their police special branch was very critical, and ties with ASIO were cut. New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
was about to have a similar inquiry. After the bombing, the NSW inquiry was never held, and the Commonwealth increased support for the anti-terrorism activities of the intelligence services.
30th anniversary of Sydney Hilton commemoration ceremony
A new plaque was unveiled at the site of the explosion in George Street on 13 February 2008, the 30th anniversary of the blast.Former New South Wales Premier Morris Iemma
Morris Iemma
Morris Iemma , is a former Australian politician and 40th Premier of New South Wales, succeeding Bob Carr after he resigned on 3 August 2005. Iemma led the Australian Labor Party to victory in the 2007 election before resigning as Premier on 5 September 2008, and as a Member of Parliament on 19...
commended Sydney City Council
City of Sydney
The City of Sydney is the Local Government Area covering the Sydney central business district and surrounding inner city suburbs of the greater metropolitan area of Sydney, Australia...
for restoring the memorial plaque to its original home, and says he hopes there will never be a need for any more.
Further reading
- "Conspiracy": Australian Broadcasting Commission documentary, Daryl Dellora, 1995 (shown on True StoriesTrue Stories (TV series)True Stories was an Australian biographical documentary series which explored the personal journeys of ordinary, and sometimes extraordinary Australians. It is based on the ABC's Australian Story....
series). Reviews most of the evidence. Easily available articles reviewing the documentary include:-- You Tube copy of film
- ABC George Negus discussion with Dellora.
- filmartdoco review, includes enumeration of the key issues. Documentary can be purchased from this site for $50.
- shootersnews Good review of the main points made by Griffiths.
- Sydney Morning Herald, The Hilton bombing, Jane Freeman, 6 February 1995. Provides a review and summary.
- 30 years since the Sydney Hilton Hotel Bombing - The Unanswered Questions Questions why ASIO could not stop Ananda Marga. Also questions why ASIO could not stop Ananda Marga. Long quote of Terry Griffiths. Discusses pardon of the Ananda Marga three, and the relationship to the Hilton bombing.Questions from Ms Kirkby and replies from the minister of police. (Search for "Hilton").