Australian authorities believe that the father–son duo accused of carrying out the deadly Bondi attack may have been inspired by the Islamic State (IS/ISIS), according to statements by the Prime Minister and senior police officials.
Who Were the Accused?
Naveed Akram (24) – a bricklayer by profession
Sajid Akram (50) – his father
Police allege that the two were responsible for a mass shooting at Bondi, Sydney, on Sunday.
Casualties
15 people were killed
25 others were injured and remained hospitalized as of Tuesday
Sajid Akram was shot dead by police during the incident
Naveed Akram was arrested at the scene and taken to hospital with critical injuries
Alleged Terror Links
Islamic State Inspiration
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated that there is evidence suggesting the attack was inspired by ISIS.
Authorities have not yet confirmed direct operational links, but say the ideological influence appears clear.
Suspicious Materials Found
Police discovered alarming items in a car registered to Naveed Akram, which was parked near the crime scene:
Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs)
Two homemade Islamic State flags
These findings strengthened concerns that the attack had a terrorist motive rather than being an isolated criminal act.
Philippines Travel Under Investigation
The New South Wales Police Commissioner, Mal Lanyon, revealed that:
Naveed and his father travelled to the Philippines last month
Police are investigating:
Why they went
Where exactly they travelled
Whether they met anyone linked to extremist networks
At present, authorities have not confirmed whether the trip was directly related to planning the attack.
Prior Intelligence Attention
Naveed Akram came under the radar of ASIO (Australian Security Intelligence Organisation) in October 2019
He was monitored for about six months
The attention was due to his associations with other individuals of concern
Media reports suggest this investigation may have involved a suspected Islamic State cell
No charges were filed at that time.
Gun Licence Clarification
There was incorrect media reporting suggesting that Sajid Akram had held a gun licence for over a decade.
Police clarified that:
Sajid was only issued a gun licence in 2023
This revelation has raised serious questions about gun licensing and background checks
Current Status of the Investigation
Authorities are continuing to investigate:
The terrorist motivation behind the attack
The role of international travel
Possible links to extremist networks
How the accused obtained weapons and materials
The case is now being treated as a major counter-terrorism investigation.
What Is Hanukkah?
Chanukah (also spelled Hanukkah) is an 8-day Jewish festival marking the miraculous victory of the Maccabees, Jewish freedom fighters, over the Seleucidian Greek occupiers in the year 139 BCE. After recapturing Jerusalem’s Holy Temple, which had been converted into a place of idol worship, they searched for pure oil with which to light the Temple menorah. They found just enough to burn for one day, but miraculously it burned for eight days until more oil could be brought.
How is Hanukkah Celebrated?
On each of the eight nights of Chanukah, Jewish people light special menorahs (candelabras), adding another flame each night, until on the eighth night eight flames are burning brightly. The lighting takes place at home, in a doorway or near a window, and is performed after brief blessings are recited. On Chanukah, it is customary to play with dreidels, tops upon which four Hebrew letters, nun, gimmel, hay, and shin, are written. In modern times, communal menorah lightings are often held in public squares, sharing Chanukah’s message of the triumph of light over darkness and freedom to worship God.
Hanukkah Foods To commemorate the miracle, which involved oil, oily foods are enjoyed on Chanukah. Since the Middle Ages, doughnuts (sufganiyot) have been a Chanukah favorite. Among Ashkenazim, potato pancakes (latkes) are also a classic. It is also customary to eat dairy on Chanukah, recalling how the brave Yehudit served cheese and wine to a Greek general before defeating him.
