New South Wales Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon has issued a significant correction regarding the firearms licence held by Bondi Beach gunman Sajid Akram, revealing it was granted in 2023, not 2015 as initially stated. This approval came four years after Akram's son was investigated by Australia's top intelligence agency, ASIO.
Correcting the Firearms Licence Timeline
Commissioner Lanyon, speaking at a press conference in Sydney alongside Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and other officials, clarified the erroneous timeline previously provided. Sajid Akram, 50, first applied for a Category AB firearms licence in October 2015, with a recommendation for issue the following November.
"I would like to correct the record," Lanyon stated. "I have been indicating that Sajid Akram... has held a firearms licence since 2015. Mr Akram applied for that licence on 8 October 2015, and it was recommended that it be issued in November 2015."
However, the Commissioner explained that Akram failed to complete the mandatory process. "I'm advised that he did not get a photo taken, as required by that licence, and the application lapsed in 2016," Lanyon said. A second application was made in 2020, and this licence was ultimately recommended for issue and granted in 2023.
ISIS Inspiration and Prior Travel to the Philippines
The revelation has triggered widespread outrage, given that Akram's 24-year-old son, Naveed, was under ASIO investigation in 2019 for his close ties to a Sydney-based Islamic State terrorism cell. Police confirmed they believe the Bondi Beach massacre, which killed 15 people at a Hanukkah celebration, was motivated by Islamic State ideology.
Prime Minister Albanese confirmed the terror connection, stating, "Well what we know already... is that it would appear that there is evidence that this was inspired by a terrorist organisation, by ISIS." He described it as a "radical perversion of Islam."
Commissioner Lanyon also confirmed that Sajid and Naveed Akram travelled to the Philippines weeks before the attack, with reports suggesting they underwent 'military-style training' in southern regions known as a hotspot for Islamist militants. Their vehicle, registered to the younger man, contained two homemade ISIS flags and improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett formally described the killings as "a terrorist attack inspired by Islamic State." She noted the attackers' callous coordination and apparent desire for a high death toll, akin to the October 7, 2023, attacks.
Political Fallout and Calls for Gun Law Reform
In response to the attack and the licensing revelations, federal, state, and territory leaders have begun pursuing urgent reforms to Australia's firearm legislation. Prime Minister Albanese emphasised that "the very nature of our gun laws means that they are only as strong as the weakest link."
Potential reforms under consideration include:
- Limiting the number of guns an individual can own.
- Restricting the types of legal firearms.
- Requiring Australian citizenship for gun ownership.
- Accelerating work on the National Firearms Register.
However, former Prime Minister John Howard criticised the focus, arguing the Albanese government had failed to address rising antisemitism and dismissing calls for gun reform as a 'diversion' from the core issue.
Authorities have increased patrols around Jewish places of worship in Sydney's eastern suburbs as the investigation continues, with police assuring the community of their support.
