Bondi Beach Shooter’s Past Links To ISIS Commander Under Scrutiny

New Delhi: The deadly shooting at Sydney’s Bondi Beach during a Jewish festival, Hanukkah, which has been declared a terrorist attack, killing 16 people and sending shockwaves throughout the country. As investigators work to piece together on the exact happenings of the violence, attention has turned to the background of one of the attackers.

New details have emerged showcasing Naveed Akram, one of the gunmen behind the Bondi Beach massacre, he reportedly had close links with a jailed Islamic State (IS) commander years before the attack, now raising serious questions on how the threat was assessed during the year, 2019.

Counter-terrorism sources say Akram was connected to ‘Matari’ a self-declared extremist who declared himself as the Islamic State’s Australian commander and was later convicted in 2021 for planning various terrorist offences like an IS-linked insurgency. Matari is currently serving seven years in prison.

Officials with knowledge on the matter said that Akram used to move within the same circle as several Sydney men who have since been convicted of terrorism offences. That network became the base for an ASIO investigation in 2019, after the police had foiled an IS-linked plot in the city.

ASIO Investigation Closed in 2019

The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) examined Akram for around six months from October 2019, focusing on his proximity to convicted extremists, including Matari. At that time, ASIO concluded that Akram did not pose an immediate threat, and the probe was closed but now questions have arisen on that assessment. 

Mike Burgess, ASIO Director-General of Security of Australia, has confirmed that one of the Bondi attackers was known to the agency, though not considered an imminent risk due to which they left Akram from the loop.  Anthony Albanese,  Prime Minister of Australia, acknowledged the earlier investigation, stating that the authorities would review how the decision was reached.

Senior security officials also mentioned that the key concern was his long-standing links to extremist figures should have triggered continued monitoring.

Evidence of Ideological Motivation

Investigators from the Joint Counter Terrorism Team (JCTT) now believe the attack was ideologically motivated rather than spontaneous.
One Islamic State flag was recovered from their vehicle, which was visible on the car bonnet through various footage from the scene. Officials also believe that the two shooters, Akram and his father Sajid Akram had pledged allegiance to IS, based on preliminary findings, speaking on condition of anonymity.

What Happened at Bondi Beach

On Sunday, Naveed Akram, 24, and his father Sajid Akram, 50, opened fire at the “Chanukah by the Sea” event at the Bondi Beach, where members of the Jewish community had gathered to mark the start of the first night of the Jewish festival of Hanukkah. The attack killed 16 people and has been declared a terrorist act by the Australian authorities.

Police have confronted the gunmen at the scene, shooting Sajid Akram during an exchange of fire and Naveed Akram was wounded and is currently in hospital under armed police guard. Investigations into the planning of the attack and possible intelligence failures are still underway.

(Written By: Swarna Maalya)

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