Police say the alleged gunmen behind the Bondi beach attack were a father and son who are suspected of using legally owned firearms to carry out the massacre.
Naveed Akram, 24, was arrested at the scene and taken to a Sydney hospital with critical injuries. His 50-year-old father, who the Sydney Morning Herald identified as Sajid Akram, was shot dead by police.
The pair allegedly killed 15 people and injured dozens more during a Hanukkah celebration on Sunday.
The son was known to New South Wales police and security agencies. His father held a firearms licence with six weapons registered to him, all of which have now been recovered. Four long arms, believed to include a rifle and shotgun, were seized at the Bondi scene. Other weapons were found during a police raid at a house in Campsie, in Sydney’s south-west.
According to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Naveed Akram came to the attention of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) in October 2019. He was investigated for six months over alleged associations with others; the ABC reported the counter-terror probe involved an Islamic State cell.
Albanese stated that after the investigation, “there was no indication of any ongoing threat or threat of him engaging in violence.” He later added there was “no evidence that these people were part of a cell,” but said they were “clearly… motivated by this extremist ideology.”
NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said the two men had also lived at a house in Bonnyrigg, which was raided on Sunday night. He said there was nothing to indicate the men were planning the attack and confirmed the older man had held a gun licence for ten years. Lanyon would not comment on reports that a manifesto or an Islamic State flag were found in the attackers’ car.
NSW Premier Chris Minns said changes to gun laws were “almost certain,” and police were investigating how licensed weapons could have been used in a terror attack.
While police did not officially confirm the pair’s names, they released details of their ages, their suburb, and the father’s firearms licence. Sajid Akram held a category AB licence, which requires demonstrating a “special need” for certain weapons like muzzle-loading firearms, centre-fire rifles, and shotgun/rifle combinations.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said Naveed was an Australian-born citizen. His father arrived on a student visa in 1998, switched to a partner visa in 2001, and had been on resident return visas since.
Naveed Akram had worked as a bricklayer. His former employer, who did not wish to be named, described him as a hard worker who never took time off. The employer said Naveed reported a broken wrist from boxing a few months ago and requested all his entitlements and leave be paid out, saying he wouldn’t be able to work again until 2026.
“Now you can’t help but think, him getting all his money out, what’s he going to spend it on,” the employer said.I know Naveed well. He employed many people at once, but he was seen as quiet. “On a bricklaying site, you work closely as a team, but he kept to himself outside of work. He’d eat lunch alone, not with others,” he said.
He mentioned knowing Naveed came from a Muslim family, but Naveed rarely talked about religion at work. Some employees had told him Naveed’s parents were separated and that he was closer to his father.
He also disagreed with reports that Naveed had lost his job, saying he wanted him to return despite a wrist injury. “He’d been doing some boxing in his own time… he said the doctor told him to take a couple of months off,” the employer said. “I asked if he could come back sooner. He was a good worker, and I didn’t want to lose him. As a bricklayer, I couldn’t fault him; his work was good. He was a good employee.”
Another bricklayer described Naveed as a strange colleague but a hard worker who was interested in hunting. “No one was close to him,” said the former colleague, who wished to remain anonymous. “You spend a lot of time together bricklaying—it’s a pretty mind-numbing job, so you talk a lot—but he was just a weird operator.”
Although authorities haven’t confirmed if the son held a firearms license, the colleague claimed he hunted regularly, talking about shooting rabbits and other game near Crookwell in the southern tablelands. They worked across Sydney, with the last job where he saw Naveed being a site in Penrith.
There are also unconfirmed claims that Naveed was a member of a hunting club, after images surfaced of what appeared to be a membership card found in his wallet. It’s not yet confirmed if he was a club member.
Shortly after the attack, an old photo of Naveed originally posted by Sheikh Adam Ismail, head of Al-Murad Institute, went viral. Ismail distanced himself from Naveed, telling Guardian Australia he hadn’t seen him since 2022. “As I’ve done with thousands of students over the years, I taught him Quran recitation and Arabic for a combined period of one year,” he said.
Ismail said he was deeply saddened by what happened and offered his condolences to the victims and the Jewish community. “The Quran clearly states that taking one innocent life is like killing all of humanity. This makes it clear that what unfolded yesterday at Bondi is completely forbidden in Islam.”
In Bonnyrigg, reporters and police gathered outside the home, which remained cordoned off with blue tape on Monday morning. Two police cars were parked in front. Around noon, three people returned to the house, owned by Naveed’s mother. A young man and two women, who held paper over their heads to avoid being filmed, got out of a car and went inside.
Glenn Nelson lives across the street. He has been in the area for 37 years and described it as quiet. “My wife calls it ‘boring old Bonnyrigg,'” he told Guardian Australia from his front lawn. He had been watching news of the attack just before noticing commotion on the street around 9:30 p.m. on Sunday. “I came into the lounge room to watch something else and then saw traffic… and flashing lights,” he said.
Another neighbor said she was at work when her parents called to say something was happening on the street. She was shocked to learn it was related to the attack. “We’re so sad for what has happened,” she said. “I left a very dangerous country to be safe here.”
Ariel Bogle contributed to this report.In Australia, you can reach Beyond Blue at 1300 22 4636, Lifeline at 13 11 14, or Griefline at 1300 845 745. In the UK, the charity Mind can be contacted at 0300 123 3393. For support in other countries, visit befrienders.org to find helplines.
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of FAQs about the alleged Bondi Beach terror attack involving a father and son based on publicly available information from police and media reports
Basic Facts The Allegation
1 What exactly happened at Bondi Beach
Police allege that a father and son used legally owned firearms to carry out a planned attack at Bondi Beach The incident was disrupted by police before any shots were fired at the public
2 Who are the people involved
A 44yearold man and his 13yearold son They have not been formally named The father is a licensed firearms owner
3 What were they allegedly planning to do
NSW Police allege they were planning a terrorist attack likely targeting people at the popular beachfront Specific details of the plan have not been fully released
4 Were any members of the public hurt
No Police intervened and arrested the two individuals before the alleged attack could be carried out
5 When did this happen
The arrests were made in the early hours of a Saturday morning in October 2023
Legal Firearms Questions
6 How did they get the guns if it was a terror attack
Police state the firearms were licensed and legally owned by the father This is a key part of the allegationthat legally obtained weapons were intended for an illegal terrorist purpose
7 What charges do they face
Both have been charged with conspiring to engage in or plan a terrorist act The father faces additional firearmsrelated charges
8 Why was the 13yearold charged
In Australia children over 10 can be charged with criminal offenses Police allege he was a knowing and active participant in the planning
9 What is a terrorist act under Australian law
Its defined as an action or threat made with the intention of advancing a political religious or ideological cause and intended to coerce or intimidate the public or government through serious violence harm or damage
Context Motivations
10 What was their alleged motivation
Police have stated the alleged plot was religiously motivated but have not provided specific details about ideology to avoid glorifying their actions or prejudicing the trial
11 Were they on any security watchlists
The father was
