Australian authorities have identified the 50-year-old terror suspect killed after a deadly shooting spree at Sydney's Bondi Beach as a man originally from Hyderabad, India. Sajid Akram was gunned down by police following an attack on Sunday that left 15 people dead.
Hyderabad Roots and Family Details
Sajid Akram held an Indian passport and had migrated to Australia in November 1998, according to information shared with Indian agencies. Telangana Police and intelligence officials contacted his family at Al Hasnath Colony in Toli Chowki, Hyderabad, after Australian authorities revealed his origins.
His father was a retired armed forces personnel, and his elder brother is a practicing doctor. Investigations reveal that Sajid visited India only six times in the 27 years since his migration, primarily to deal with property matters. Notably, he did not return to India when his father passed away in 2009.
"We are told that Sajid visited India six times after migrating to Australia 27 years ago, primarily for property matters. It seems he did not travel to India when his father died in 2009," stated Telangana Director General of Police Shivadhar Reddy.
Radicalisation and International Travel
Police quoted the family as saying they had no knowledge of when or how Sajid and his 24-year-old son, Naveed Akram – the other suspect in the Bondi beach shooting – were radicalised. Reports indicate inspiration from ISIS ideology, with Australian authorities leading the further investigation.
"The factors that led to their radicalisation appear to have no connection with India or any local influence. Telangana Police has no adverse record against Sajid during his stay in India prior to his departure in 1998," DGP Reddy emphasised.
An intelligence official noted that Sajid and his son appear to have been radicalised in Sydney. It was revealed that Naveed Akram attended an Arabic and religious learning course at an institution in Sydney between 2019 and 2022.
Philippines Trip and IED Discovery
Australian media and international news agency Reuters reported that the father-son duo travelled to the Philippines in November. The Philippines Bureau of Immigration confirmed they entered the country on November 1, flying from Sydney to Manila and then to Davao City, before returning to Sydney on November 28.
They are suspected of having received military-style training during this trip. Sajid travelled on his Indian passport, while his son used an Australian passport.
New South Wales Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon confirmed the travel and a critical discovery. "I can confirm that they did travel to the Philippines. The reasons why they went... is under investigation," Lanyon said. "I also confirm that the vehicle which is registered to the younger male contained IEDs and it contained two homemade ISIS flags."
Personal Background and Early Life
Sajid Akram was a commerce graduate from Hyderabad's Anwar-Ul-Uloom College before he immigrated. In Australia, he married Venera Grosso, an Australian woman of Italian descent. The couple had two children – a son, Naveed, and a daughter.
Police sources mentioned that Sajid brought his wife to Hyderabad around 2001 to introduce her to his parents, and a traditional nikah ceremony was performed. During a later visit, he sold his share of ancestral land and a house located in the Shalibanda neighbourhood of Hyderabad.
The investigation continues to focus on the timeline and network of radicalisation in Australia, with Indian authorities cooperating on verifying background details from his time in Hyderabad.
