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19-12-2025
SYDNEY: Naveed Akram, the surviving suspect in Sunday’s mass shooting at Bondi Beach in Sydney, has been charged with 59 offences, including 15 counts of murder and one of committing a terrorist act, the New South Wales police say.
Akram, 24, was critically injured during the incident. His father Sajid Akram, 50, was killed in an exchange of fire with police at the scene.
Fifteen people were killed and dozens of others were injured in the attack, which targeted Australia’s Jewish community at an event celebrating the first night of Hanukkah.
It was the country’s deadliest shooting since 1996.
Akram also faces 40 charges of causing grievous bodily harm with intent to murder, as well as one charge of causing a public display of a prohibited terrorist organization symbol.
Akram had his first hearing from his hospital bedside, the local New South Wales (NSW) court said. The case has been adjourned until April 2026, the court added.
Earlier on Wednesday, NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said they were waiting for medication to wear off before formally questioning Akram.
“For his fairness, we need him to understand what is exactly happening,” Lanyon said.
As of Wednesday evening local time, 17 people are still being treated in hospitals across Sydney. One is in critical condition, with four others described as critical but stable.
Police have designated the attack a terrorist incident, with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese saying it appears to have been “motivated by Islamic State” group ideology. Yesterday it emerged that the father and son had travelled to the Philippines in November.
The Philippine immigration bureau told media that they were in the country from 1 November to 28 November. Their final destination was the southern city of Davao, an immigration spokesperson said.
Naveed Akram travelled to the Philippines using an Australian passport, while his father Sajid used an Indian passport, border authorities in Manila told media.
Sajid Akram was originally from the southern Indian city of Hyderabad, but had “limited contact” with his family there, a police official from the Indian state of Telangana said. Among those killed in the attack were two rabbis, a Holocaust survivor and a 10-year-old girl, named by her family as Matilda.
Boris and Sofia Gurman, a couple filmed wrestling with one of the gunmen during the early stages of the attack, were also among the victims.
Another 27 people were taken to hospital with injuries, including two police officers.
One of the officers, named as 22-year-old Jack Hibbert, has lost vision in one eye and faces a “long and challenging recovery”, his family said in a statement.
Earlier in the day, thousands gathered to mourn British-born Rabbi Eli Schlanger, at the first funeral to be held for victims of the shooting.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was not present. Asked on ABC NewsRadio about his absence, he said; “I would attend anything that I’m invited to. These are funerals that are taking place to farewell people’s loved ones.”
The Jewish community has criticized Albanese for not taking enough action on antisemitism, he defended himself against those accusations, telling ABC NewsRadio he had taken a series of measures including appointing the country’s first antisemitism envoy, toughening hate speech laws and increasing funding for social cohesion projects and Jewish institutions.
Speaking at Rabbi Schlanger’s funeral, Rabbi Levi Wolff described his death as an “unspeakable loss” for the community. (Int’l News Desk)
