Bondi Beach Terror Attack: ASIO Under Fire for ‘Dropping the Ball’ as Spy Agency Shifted Focus Away from Islamic State Sympathisers
- ASIO’s failure to track Naveed Akram, 24, who was investigated in 2019 over ties to an ISIS cell, has sparked outrage and calls for a royal commission
- Akram’s father, Sajid Akram, 50, was able to obtain a NSW gun licence four years after the probe, despite his son being on ASIO’s radar
- Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has flagged major reforms to Australia’s intelligence agencies, admitting “quite clearly” they had dropped the ball
- ASIO’s shift in focus towards countering foreign interference and monitoring right-wing extremists has raised questions about the agency’s priorities
The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) is facing intense scrutiny in the wake of the devastating Bondi Beach terror attack, with allegations that the spy agency had shifted its focus away from tracking Islamic State sympathisers in recent years.
In a shocking revelation, it has emerged that ASIO had investigated alleged gunman Naveed Akram in 2019 over ties to a Sydney-based ISIS cell, but deemed him to pose no ongoing threat. Despite this, Akram’s father, Sajid Akram, was able to obtain a NSW gun licence four years later, sparking outrage and calls for a royal commission.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has conceded that ASIO had “dropped the ball”, and has flagged major reforms to Australia’s intelligence agencies. “We need to examine exactly the way that systems work,” Mr Albanese said. “We need to look back at what happened in 2019 when this person was looked at, the assessment that was made.”
ASIO’s shift in focus towards countering foreign interference and monitoring right-wing extremists has raised questions about the agency’s priorities. Former AFP detective superintendent David Craig warned that gun reforms were “window dressing”, and that the root cause of terrorism needed to be addressed. “Not having firearms, yes that will make it slightly harder, but there are vehicles, there are explosives … we need to attack the root cause,” he said.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke defended ASIO, saying the agency had to prioritise where they believed the biggest threat was. “That changes over time,” he said. However, critics argue that ASIO’s failure to track Akram and his father is a clear example of the agency’s misplaced priorities.
Peter Lavac, a criminal barrister who has been helping members of the Jewish community, was scathing in his criticism of ASIO. “ASIO has badly dropped the ball,” he said. “This has happened on ASIO’s watch. It is absolutely mind-boggling that ASIO had the son on their radar … and that NSW Police would then give a gun licence to his father. It is an absolute debacle.”
The attack has sparked widespread outrage, with many calling for a royal commission into ASIO’s handling of the case. Independent MP for Kennedy Bob Katter described the attack as “a total failure of the gun laws, a total failure of the police, a total failure of ASIO”.
As the investigation into the attack continues, one thing is clear: ASIO’s failure to track Akram and his father has raised serious questions about the agency’s ability to protect Australians from terrorism. The Prime Minister’s promise of major reforms is a step in the right direction, but many are demanding more.
