A man who regained consciousness after being critically injured in a shootout with police has now been formally charged in connection with the devastating terrorist attack on Bondi Beach in Sydney, which claimed 15 lives.
Details of the Attack and Charges
According to New South Wales Police, the incident occurred at approximately 6:47 pm local time on Sunday. Father and son Sajid Akram, 50, and Naveed Akram, 24, are alleged to have opened fire on a crowd of more than 1,000 people gathered for a Jewish Hanukkah celebration in the Archer Park area of the famous beach.
Sajid Akram was shot by responding officers and died at the scene. His son, Naveed, who awoke from a medically-induced coma on Tuesday, has now been charged with a total of 59 offences. These include 15 counts of murder and one count of committing a terrorist act.
The extensive list of further charges comprises 40 counts of wounding or causing grievous bodily harm with intent to murder, discharging a firearm to cause grievous bodily harm, publicly displaying a symbol of a prohibited terrorist organisation, and placing an explosive near a building with intent to cause harm.
Police stated that early indications strongly suggest this was a "terrorist attack inspired by ISIS (so-called Islamic State)". Naveed Akram, who remains under police guard in hospital, is scheduled to appear before a Sydney bail court via video link.
Victims, Heroes, and a Community in Mourning
The first funerals for the victims were held on Wednesday. Among them was 41-year-old Rabbi Eli Schlanger, a father-of-five who was born in London and grew up in Temple Fortune. He served as assistant rabbi at Chabad of Bondi, where his funeral took place.
In a moving address, his father-in-law, Rabbi Yehoram Ulman, told mourners it was "unthinkable we talk about you in the past tense." He confirmed that rabbis would continue the tradition of lighting Hanukkah candles on Bondi Beach on Sunday night.
The funeral of another victim, Rabbi Yaakov Levitan, was also held later that day.
Two police officers were injured during the confrontation with the gunmen. One has been named as 22-year-old probationary constable Jack Hibbert, who had been in the force for only four months. His family revealed he was shot twice—in the head and shoulder—while patrolling the celebration and has lost vision in one eye.
The second officer, Constable Scott Dyson, underwent further surgery and was reported to be in a critical but stable condition. NSW Health confirmed that 20 people injured in the attack remained in Sydney hospitals.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, after visiting survivors in hospital, vowed to hold those responsible to account. He condemned the act as both terrorism and antisemitism, pledging to "stamp out and eradicate" such hatred from society.
Mr Albanese also praised the actions of 43-year-old Sydney father Ahmed al Ahmed, who he described as an "Australian hero" for tackling one of the gunmen and wrestling his weapon away, actions believed to have saved numerous lives.
Political Response and New Legislation
In response to the attack, NSW Premier Chris Minns announced that the state parliament would be recalled at the start of next week. The government plans to introduce a package of measures designed to tighten gun control laws and grant police new powers to block protests during an active terror situation.
Premier Minns warned that demonstrations threatened to "rip apart our community" during what he termed a "combustible situation," underscoring the government's commitment to bolstering security and community safety in the wake of the tragedy.
