Bondi Beach Massacre: Father and Son Gunmen Identified as Naveed and Sajid Akram – One Had Been on ASIO’s Radar for Six Years Over Ties to IS Terrorism Cell
- Police reveal Naveed Akram, 24, and his father Sajid Akram, 50, were the two gunmen responsible for the horrific attack that left 15 people dead and a nation in shock
- ASIO had been monitoring Naveed Akram six years ago due to his close ties to a Sydney-based Islamic State terrorism cell, but deemed him not an immediate threat
- The father and son duo had pledged allegiance to IS and had two IS flags in their car at the time of the attack, according to senior officials
The devastating attack on the Chanukah by the Sea event at Bondi Beach has left the nation reeling, with 15 innocent lives lost and a community in mourning. The two gunmen responsible for the carnage have been identified as Naveed Akram, 24, and his father Sajid Akram, 50.
In a shocking revelation, it has emerged that Naveed Akram had been on the radar of Australia’s domestic intelligence agency, ASIO, six years ago due to his close ties to a Sydney-based Islamic State terrorism cell. However, ASIO director-general Mike Burgess stated that Naveed Akram was not considered an immediate threat at the time.
According to senior officials, the father and son duo had pledged allegiance to IS and had two IS flags in their car at the time of the attack. The flags were discovered by police, with one visible in footage from the scene on the bonnet of the car.
The Joint Counter Terrorism Team (JCTT) is now investigating the lead-up to the attack, with police raiding the Akram family home in Bonnyrigg and an AirBnB property in Campsie where the men had been staying. Heavily-armed police are also patrolling places of worship across Sydney, with 328 officers deployed as part of Operation Shelter.
Naveed Akram is currently in hospital under police guard, while his father Sajid Akram died in an exchange of gunfire with police on Sunday. The community is still trying to come to terms with the senseless violence, with neighbours describing the Akram family as “normal” and “shocking” to learn of their involvement in the attack.
“We couldn’t sleep, we were watching everything. It was so scary,” said neighbour Lemanatua Fatu. “We thought they were normal people. We were so shocked to notice one of the guys who shoot people live here.”
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has condemned the attack as “an act of pure evil, an act of antisemitism, an act of terrorism on our shores at an iconic Australian location”.
“[Bondi Beach is] associated with joy, associated with families gathering, associated with celebrations. And it is forever tarnished by what has occurred last evening,” he said.