Explosive new details have emerged in the case against the alleged perpetrators of the deadly Bondi terror attack, with court documents revealing police claims of a 'tennis ball bomb' and an Islamic State-inspired video manifesto.
Chilling Details of the Alleged Plot
Documents released by a New South Wales court on Monday outline the police allegations against Naveed Akram, 24, and his father, Sajid Akram, 50. The pair are accused of carrying out a shooting at a Hanukah celebration on 14 December, which left 15 people dead and dozens more injured. Sajid Akram died at the scene.
The police fact sheet alleges the attack was the result of months of meticulous planning. Investigators claim that three pipe bombs and a 'tennis ball bomb' were thrown towards the crowd before the shooting began. Although the devices failed to detonate, authorities have classified them as viable improvised explosives.
IS-Inspired Video Manifesto Uncovered
Perhaps the most disturbing evidence cited is a video allegedly found on the accused's phone. Recorded in October, it purportedly shows Naveed and his father sitting in front of an Islamic State flag.
According to the court documents, Naveed Akram, appearing with four long-arm firearms, recites a passage from the Qur'an in Arabic. The video then switches to English, with both men making statements explaining their motives for the planned Bondi attack, which included condemning the acts of 'Zionists'.
A separate clip, also from October, allegedly shows the father and son training with firearms in a rural setting, believed to be in New South Wales. The footage shows them firing shotguns and moving tactically.
A Joint Criminal Enterprise
Police allege the two men were engaged in a joint criminal enterprise with the explicit goal of causing death to further an extremist cause. The documents state their aim was to promote 'religiously motivated violent extremism aligned with Islamic State'.
The detailed fact sheet was made public after lawyers for several media organisations applied for its release, shedding stark new light on one of Australia's most shocking recent terror incidents.
