Alleged Helen Haines attacker described as anti-Israel activist

The man who allegedly attacked MP Helen Haines has been named as Brendan Nugent. The Australian reports that Nugent appears to be an anti-Israel activist and a radical environmentalist.

Haines was left critically injured after she was struck by a vehicle outside her electorate office in Wangaratta on Tuesday.

The X account which appears to belong to Nugent is a key focus of the investigation by police and anti-terror authorities, The Australian reported.

The account includes comments US and Australian support of Israel. When Foreign Minister Penny Wong called out antisemitism, Nugent posted a response claiming Australia's Pine Gap intelligence facility "helps Israeli intelligence bomb children in Gaza".

In another post, he wrote "The Biden administration’s “no daylight,” unconditional support for Israel has provided so much leeway that Tel Aviv has no way of climbing down from its stated war objectives, despite having achieved none."

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‘Plant person’ and ‘pro-Gaza’ radical Brendan Nugent arrested over Helen Haines attack (The Australian, paywall)