Shocking new details have emerged about the meticulous planning behind the deadly mass shooting at Sydney's Bondi Beach earlier this month, which left 15 people dead. Police documents released on Monday paint a chilling picture of the alleged attackers' preparation, including firearms training in the New South Wales countryside and a reconnaissance mission to the popular beach.
The Chilling Preparation: Training and Reconnaissance
According to reports from AFP, the police documents state that the accused, 24-year-old Naveed Akram and his 50-year-old father Sajid Akram, carried out "firearms training" outside Sydney prior to the attack. Authorities described their actions as "meticulously planned" over several months. Photographic evidence shows the duo firing shotguns and moving in what police termed a "tactical manner."
In an even more brazen move, the father-son pair allegedly made a nighttime reconnaissance trip to Bondi Beach just days before carrying out the attack. This planning culminated in a video recorded in October, where they were seen sitting before an Islamic State flag, railing against "Zionists" and detailing their motivations for the planned violence.
The Failed Start and Deadly Attack
The attack on December 14 began with an attempt to use improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Police allege Naveed and Sajid Akram threw four IEDs towards a crowd celebrating a Hanukkah event at Bondi Beach. The devices, described as three aluminium pipe bombs and a tennis ball bomb containing black powder and steel ball bearings, failed to detonate. Despite not exploding, authorities classified them as "viable" explosive devices.
When the bombs failed, the attackers proceeded with firearms, resulting in the nation's deadliest mass shooting in nearly three decades. Fifteen people were killed in the terror attack. Police officers responding to the scene wounded Naveed Akram and killed his father, Sajid Akram.
Aftermath: Charges and New Legislative Proposals
Naveed Akram was transferred from a hospital to a prison on Monday, as confirmed by the New South Wales state government. He now faces a staggering 59 criminal charges. These include 15 counts of murder, 40 counts of causing harm with intent to murder related to the wounded survivors, and one count of committing a terrorist act.
In the wake of the tragedy, the New South Wales government has moved swiftly to introduce draft laws to parliament. A key proposed restriction would make Australian citizenship a mandatory condition for obtaining a firearms license. This change would have prevented Sajid Akram, an Indian citizen with permanent residency, from legally owning the six rifles and shotguns he possessed. The new laws also propose a limit of four guns for recreational shooters.
The Bondi Beach attack has sent shockwaves through Australia and the world, leading to a major review of security protocols and gun ownership laws as the community mourns the devastating loss of life.
