In the midst of the horrific Bondi Beach massacre, an Australian shopkeeper has been globally hailed as a hero for a breathtaking act of courage, disarming a gunman while another assailant stood nearby with a weapon trained on him.
Military Training Forged in Syria
Daily Mail can now reveal that the calm bravery shown by Ahmed Al Ahmed, 43, was not a spur-of-the-moment reaction. It was, instead, the product of years of rigid military and police training forged in war-torn Syria.
During the mass shooting at Bondi Beach on December 14, where two gunmen opened fire on a Hanukkah celebration, killing at least 15 people, Mr Al Ahmed tackled and disarmed one of the attackers. CCTV footage captures the moment he wrestled the rifle away from the now-deceased gunman, Sajid Akram, in a split-second move that undoubtedly saved countless lives.
As Sajid fell backwards, Mr Al Ahmed lifted the rifle and aimed it at the disarmed shooter but did not fire. Sajid backed away, and Mr Al Ahmed rested the weapon against a tree moments before another bystander intervened.
A Father's Pride and a History of Combat
This confrontation unfolded in full view of the second alleged gunman, Sajid's 24-year-old son Naveed, who stood on a nearby footbridge holding a firearm. According to his father, Mohammad Fatih Al Ahmed, his son was no stranger to combat, having honed his skills long before arriving in Australia in 2006.
'After his graduation from university he joined the compulsory army and he served in the interior ministry,' his father said, adding that his son also 'served in the police' and has 'the passion to defend people.'
Reports from the UK government and European asylum authorities indicate that Syrian conscripts in the early 2000s typically underwent months of intense training, often serving for around 30 months. Recruits were subjected to punishing regimes designed to instil obedience, endurance, and instant reaction.
While many details of Syrian military programmes remain limited due to government secrecy, firearms training and face-to-face combat techniques would have been central to Mr Al Ahmed's experience, particularly during his police service where officers were trained to handle assault rifles under pressure.
Legal Debate and Global Praise
'It was a split second between life and death,' his proud father stated. 'If my son didn't act the way he did he would probably be another victim of that shooter.'
Since that day, images of the humble shopkeeper standing over the gunman have gone viral, drawing praise from around the world. 'Australia PM praised him so did President Trump and many others,' his father told the BBC.
The dramatic footage has also sparked an online debate over the legal consequences Mr Al Ahmed might have faced had he fired the weapon. Australian lawyer Hayder Shkara said the issue would hinge entirely on self-defence.
'You need to believe that it was necessary and it has to be a reasonable response in that exact moment,' Mr Shkara explained. He noted that video evidence was crucial and that even if self-defence applied, the person would still be detained and investigated.
In Australia, killing someone in genuine self-defence is not a criminal offence. In New South Wales, if excessive force is used, the charge usually becomes manslaughter rather than murder. However, given that Mr Al Ahmed acted to stop an active mass shooting, police sources say it is highly unlikely he would ever have faced charges.
