Australian police have identified the Bondi Beach shooters as 50-year-old Sajid Akram, who was shot dead by officers, and his 24-year-old son, Naveed Akram, who remains in a coma. Authorities recovered two homemade ISIS flags, improvised explosive devices and six licensed firearms, and have classified the incident as "a terrorist attack inspired by Islamic State." ASIO investigated the son in 2019 for possible ties to an ISIS-linked cell; investigators are probing the suspects' recent travel to the Philippines and other leads.
Bondi Beach Attack: Father and Son Identified — ISIS Flags, Explosives and Six Firearms Recovered
Australian authorities have identified the two men accused of the Bondi Beach massacre as a father and his adult son and said investigators recovered homemade Islamic State flags, improvised explosive devices and multiple licensed firearms linked to the attack.
Victims and suspects
Police say 15 people were killed and at least 40 others were wounded when gunmen opened fire during a Hanukkah gathering near Bondi Beach. The 50-year-old father was named by police as Sajid Akram; he was shot and killed by officers at the scene. The younger suspect, named by U.S. intelligence sources and corroborated by media review of official documents as Naveed Akram, is 24 and remains hospitalized in a coma.
Terror designation and evidence recovered
Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett described the incident as “a terrorist attack inspired by Islamic State.” New South Wales Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said investigators recovered two homemade ISIS flags and improvised explosive devices in a vehicle registered to the younger man, and located six licensed firearms at the scene.
Firearms licence and travel
Commissioner Lanyon clarified that the elder Akram had previously held a gun licence that lapsed in 2016, but that a later application in 2020 resulted in a licence issued in 2023, meaning he was a licensed owner at the time of the attack. Police also said both suspects traveled to the Philippines last month; authorities are examining the purpose and locations of that trip.
Security agency scrutiny
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed that the younger suspect had been investigated by the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) for about six months in 2019 over possible links to an ISIS-related cell in Sydney. Albanese said ASIO’s inquiries examined associations between the son and other individuals, and that investigators found no indication at that time of an ongoing threat posed by him.
Nationality updates and ongoing probe
Officials initially reported conflicting nationality details: U.S. intelligence sources described the younger suspect as a Pakistani national, but Australian authorities later said he was Australian-born. Indian authorities in Telangana later identified the elder suspect, Sajid Akram, as an Indian national from Hyderabad. Police stressed that investigations into contacts, movements, motive and possible co-conspirators are continuing.
Heroic intervention and public reaction
Among the wounded is 43-year-old fruit seller Ahmed al Ahmed, who confronted an attacker, wrestled a weapon away and was shot in the confrontation. Video circulating on social media shows him tackling a shooter on Campbell Parade. His actions were widely praised, including remarks from public figures emphasizing his bravery.
"We will look at the motives behind this attack and I think it is important as part of the investigation," Commissioner Lanyon said, underscoring that inquiries remain active and evolving.
Authorities continue to gather evidence, interview witnesses, examine travel and communications records, and assess whether the surviving suspect will face criminal charges once medically able to be questioned and tried.
