The man accused of a deadly terrorist attack at a Hanukkah celebration on Bondi Beach is being held in conditions of extreme isolation, spending at least 16 hours each day locked inside a 'jail within a jail' at Australia's most secure prison.
Life in Supermax Isolation
Naveed Akram, 24, is confined alone in a cell at the notorious Goulburn Correctional Complex's Supermax facility in New South Wales. The prison is designed for high-risk inmates and is home to some of the country's most dangerous criminals. Akram has been classified as a 'category AA' prisoner, a designation for those deemed at high risk of engaging in or inciting terrorist activities.
His daily life involves severe restrictions. He is not permitted to work and is kept entirely separate from other inmates. This includes being isolated from notorious figures such as Gary and Les Murphy, convicted for the 1987 rape and murder of nurse Anita Cobby, and Roger Dean, who murdered 11 elderly residents in a 2011 nursing home fire.
Round-the-Clock Surveillance and Sparse Conditions
Akram is monitored 24 hours a day by electronic surveillance equipment. His cell in the Supermax unit contains only a concrete bed, a desk, a toilet, and a shower. While he has access to a private exercise yard for up to seven hours daily, his existence is defined by lockdowns and isolation, common features of the Goulburn complex.
He is allowed supervised, pre-approved family visits, but a strict rule mandates that all conversations must be conducted in English. Legal visits are not recorded but must be observed by Corrective Services officers, and all phone calls—except those to his lawyer—are monitored.
"He is under strict isolation, it's the most secure facility in the country, with strict protocols for housing inmates who are deemed high risk, particularly those charged with terror-related offences," a prison source stated. "He is at extreme high risk to himself as well as from other inmates, given the nature of his charges."
The Alleged Attack and Political Fallout
Akram and his father, Sajid, 50, are alleged to have opened fire on a crowd at the 'Hanukkah by the Sea' event on December 14, killing 15 people and wounding dozens more. The shocking incident has triggered a significant national response.
Last Thursday, 25 days after the attack, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced a Royal Commission into antisemitism and social cohesion. This decision came despite his initial concerns that such an inquiry could be drawn-out and divisive.
The Commission will be led by former High Court Justice Virginia Bell. Her remit is to investigate the nature and prevalence of antisemitism and religiously motivated extremism in Australia. She will examine the circumstances surrounding the alleged Bondi Beach terror attack and make recommendations to strengthen social cohesion.
The appointment of Justice Bell has faced some opposition from sections of Australia's Jewish community, citing past rulings where she overturned anti-protest laws.
As the Royal Commission begins its work, Naveed Akram remains in his high-security bubble, a testament to the extreme measures deemed necessary for a suspect charged with one of Australia's most devastating modern terrorist acts.
