SYDNEY – Naveed Akram, the 24-year-old surviving gunman behind Australia’s deadliest terror attack in three decades, was formally arrested and charged at his hospital bedside on Tuesday. Akram regained consciousness days after he and his father, Sajid Akram, opened fire on a Jewish Hanukkah festival at Bondi Beach, killing 15 people.
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New South Wales (NSW) Police waited until doctors deemed the suspect “lucid” and “cognitively fit” before moving forward with legal procedures. Akram faces a total of 59 charges, including:
- One count of committing a terrorist act.
- 15 counts of murder.
- 40 counts of attempted murder.
- One count of planting an explosive device near a building.
- Charges for firing a weapon with intent and the public display of a terrorist symbol.
Details of the Massacre
On Sunday, the father-son duo, armed with rifles and shotguns, targeted hundreds of civilians at a Hanukkah celebration. The victims ranged in age from 10 to 87 years old and included a Holocaust survivor and a prominent London-born rabbi.
Among the 40 injured are three Indian students, at least two of whom remain in hospital care. While Sajid Akram (50) was killed in a shootout with police, Naveed survived his wounds but fell into a coma until Tuesday afternoon.
The “Philippines Connection”
A central focus of the investigation is a trip the pair took to the Philippines in November, just weeks before the carnage. Authorities are investigating whether the duo met with extremist Islamic preachers or received military-grade training during their month-long stay.
- Sajid Akram: Traveled on an Indian passport.
- Naveed Akram: Traveled on an Australian passport.
Background and Radicalization
Sajid Akram migrated from Hyderabad, India, in 1998 and married a European Christian woman in Australia. His family in India stated they had severed ties with him decades ago due to his marriage.
Despite his Indian origins, the Telangana Police issued a statement clarifying that the radicalization of the father and son appears to have occurred entirely outside of India, with no local influences or connections found in his home state.
