Father, Son Suspected of Bondi Beach Attack in Australia
On Sunday, the duo reportedly opened fire on a crowd gathered in the Sydney suburb to celebrate the first day of Hanukkah, resulting in at least 15 fatalities and numerous injuries. The Queensland Police Service stated that the incident is being treated as an act of terrorism.
Police named the suspects as Sajid Akram and his son, Naveed Akram. New South Wales Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon informed reporters that Sajid Akram died at the scene, while Naveed remains in “critical but stable condition” in hospital. Lanyon also noted that the father legally possessed six firearms.
“There was little knowledge of either of these men by the authorities,” Lanyon added.
According to an Australian public broadcaster, counterterrorism officials believe the Akrams had pledged allegiance to Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS). Investigators reportedly discovered the terrorist group’s flag in their vehicle.
The network also reported that Australia’s domestic intelligence service, ASIO, examined Naveed Akram six years ago due to his connections with IS sympathizer Isaac El Matari, who was apprehended in 2019 for plotting a terrorist attack and subsequently imprisoned.
ASIO chief Mike Burgess confirmed that one of the suspects was known to the agency but clarified that it was “not in an immediate-threat perspective.”
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