Authorities in Australia have charged a man with 59 offences, including murder and terrorism, over a deadly shooting at a Hanukkah celebration on Bondi Beach, Sydney, that killed 15 people. The attack, carried out by a father-and-son duo, has sparked national grief and renewed debate over anti-Semitism, violent extremism, and gun access.
The alleged perpetrators, Sajid Akram, 50, and his 24-year-old son Naveed Akram, opened fire during the Sunday celebration. Sajid was shot dead by police at the scene. Naveed, who was also shot, recovered from a coma yesterday in a Sydney hospital. Authorities say the attack was inspired by ISIS, a listed terrorist organisation in Australia.
New South Wales Police confirmed the charges against Naveed Akram, which include 15 counts of murder, 40 counts of wounding with intent to murder, and one terror-related offence. Police allege that the attack aimed to advance a religious cause and spread fear in the community. Naveed is set to appear via video link in a local court on Monday.
Investigations revealed that the father and son had travelled to the southern Philippines, a region associated with Islamist militancy, weeks before the shooting. Philippine authorities, however, rejected claims that the country had been used for terrorist training. Presidential spokeswoman Claire Castro said there was no evidence linking the suspects to terrorist instruction in the Philippines.
The massacre prompted the New South Wales government to announce urgent reforms to gun and protest laws. Premier Chris Minns said parliament would reconvene on 22 December to consider measures including stricter firearm limits and more stringent regulations on large public gatherings following terror incidents.
Funerals for two rabbis killed in the attack, Eli Schlanger and Yaakov Levitan, have taken place. Other victims included a Holocaust survivor, a husband and wife who confronted the gunmen, and 10-year-old Matilda, whose father urged the community to remember her name during a vigil.
The attack also left police officer Jack Hibbert seriously injured. Hibbert, 22, who had been on the force for four months, was shot twice and has lost vision in one eye. Health authorities reported that 22 other people remain hospitalised.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese acknowledged public concern over the government’s handling of anti-Semitism and firearm regulation. He confirmed that Naveed Akram had been investigated in 2019 over alleged links to ISIS but was deemed not a threat.
Ahmed al-Ahmed, 43, who confronted one of the shooters and disarmed a rifle while sustaining gunshot wounds, was praised as a hero. He is scheduled to undergo surgery, and his family in Syria lauded his bravery.
In Bondi, residents and visitors observed a minute of silence on the beach, while a scheduled New Year’s Eve party was cancelled. Locals said the community is seeking calm and solidarity as it mourns the victims and grapples with the aftermath of Australia’s deadliest mass shooting in three decades.
