Naveed Akram charged with 15 counts of murder over Bondi shooting
– Naveed Akram, the surviving suspect in Sunday’s mass shooting at Bondi Beach in Sydney, has been charged with 59 offences, including 15 counts of murder and one of committing a terrorist act, according to the New South Wales Police.His father Sajid Akram, 50, was killed in an exchange of fire with police at the scene.Fifteen people were killed and dozens of others were injured in the attack, which targeted Australia’s Jewish community at an event celebrating the first night of Hanukkah.It was the country’s deadliest shooting since 1996.Akram also faces 40 charges of causing grievous bodily harm with intent to murder, as well as one charge of causing a public display of a prohibited terrorist organization symbol.He was critically injured during the incident on Sunday, and had his first hearing from his hospital bedside, the local New South Wales court said.The case has been adjourned until April 2026, the court added.
Earlier on Wednesday, New South Wales Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said they were waiting for medication to wear off before formally questioning Akram.”For his fairness, we need him to understand what is exactly happening,” Lanyon said. Twenty people injured in the attack remain in hospitals across Sydney, with one person still in a critical condition.Police have designated the attack a terrorist incident, with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese saying it appears to have been “motivated by Islamic State” group ideology.On Tuesday, it emerged that the father and son had travelled to the Philippines in November.
The Philippine immigration bureau told the BBC that they were in the country from 1 November to 28 November. Their final destination was the southern city of Davao, an immigration spokesperson said.Naveed Akram travelled to the Philippines using an Australian passport, while his father Sajid used an Indian passport, border authorities in Manila told the BBC.Sajid Akram was originally from the southern Indian city of Hyderabad, but had “limited contact” with his family there, a police official from the Indian state of Telangana said. Among those killed in the attack were two rabbis, a Holocaust survivor and a 10-year-old girl, named by her family as Matilda. Boris and Sofia Gurman, a couple filmed wrestling with one of the gunmen during the early stages of the attack, were also among the victims.Another 27 people were taken to hospital with injuries, including two police officers.One of the officers, named as 22-year-old Jack Hibbert, has lost vision in one eye and faces a “long and challenging recovery”, his family said in a statement.The other officer is among the 21 people who remain in hospitals across Syndey.
On Wednesday morning, thousands gathered to mourn British-born Rabbi Eli Schlanger, at the first funeral to be held for victims of the shooting.Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was not present. Asked on ABC NewsRadio about his absence, he said: “I would attend anything that I’m invited to. These are funerals that are taking place to farewell people’s loved ones.”
The Jewish community has criticized Albanese for not taking enough action on antisemitism – he defended himself against those accusations, telling ABC NewsRadio he had taken a series of measures including appointing the country’s first antisemitism envoy, toughening hate speech laws and increasing funding for social cohesion projects and Jewish institutions.Speaking at Rabbi Schlanger’s funeral, Rabbi Levi Wolff described his death as an “unspeakable loss” for the community.”Eli was ripped away from us, doing what he loved best,” he said.”Spreading love and joy and caring for his people with endless self-sacrifice in his life and in his death, he towered above as one of the highest and holiest souls.”
Rabbi Schlanger had helped organize Sunday’s Hanukkah event.Funerals for the other victims are expected to happen over the coming days, including for the youngest victim, Matilda, on Thursday.
