Bondi Beach 'Hero': Who Is the Syrian Fruit Seller Hailed for Disarming Sydney's Shooter?

Sydney: In a heroic act during the Bondi Beach shooting, an unarmed man who tackled and disarmed the shooter amid the terror attack at a Hanukkah event is being hailed as a ‘hero’ worldwide for his brave gestures.

The man was identified as forty-three-year-old Syria-born Ahmed al Ahmed, a Sydney fruit shop owner who is currently in recovery after undergoing surgery for bullet wounds to his arm and hand during the altercation with the gunman, his family said.

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The dramatic moment was caught on camera and has since gone viral, earning global praise for his bravery. In the video, he can be seen taking cover behind parked cars before successfully disarming one of the shooters. He then points the seized weapon at the attacker, who was seen backing away.

Ahmed's cousin Mustafa told 7News Australia that doctors had informed the family that Ahmed was stable following surgery. "He is a hero; he is a hundred per cent a hero," Mustafa said.

"Still, he is in the hospital, and we don't know exactly what's going on inside ... but we hope he will be fine." He also revealed that 'He can't speak at the moment.'

U.S. President Donald Trump called Ahmed "a very, very brave person" who saved many lives. Chris Minns, the premier of New South Wales state, where Sydney is located, has hailed him "a genuine hero" and said the video was "the most unbelievable scene I've ever seen".

Pakistan Link Unmasked: Father-Son Duo Behind Hanukkah Terror Attack In Sydney

The Pakistan-origin father-son duo who opened fire at Bondi Beach is found to be linked with ISIS, as, according to the Australian intel agency, one of the accused, Naveed Akram, was probed 6 years ago for a Sydney-based ISIS cell. They also found an Islamic State-linked flag in a small silver car used by the terrorists to reach the beach.

This is one of the reasons why Australian police declared this a terror attack. The father-son duo massacred at least 16 people and injured over 40 in a mass shooting at a Hanukkah celebration on Sydney's Bondi Beach.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the incident in his address to the nation following the mass shooting. He described the incident as a "devastating terror attack" and expressed solidarity with Australia's Jewish community.

He stated that the incident was "a targeted attack on Jewish Australians on the first day of Hanukkah, which should be a day of joy, a celebration of faith, an act of evil, antisemitism, and terrorism that has struck the heart of our nation".

“There is no place for this hate, violence and terrorism in our nation,” he added.

ALSO READ: Bondi Beach Shooting: NSW Police Confirm Father-Son Duo Behind Hanukkah Massacre In Sydney