Naveed Akram, 24, made a video court appearance in Sydney to face 59 charges over the Dec. 14 Bondi Beach attack, including 15 counts of murder and a terrorism charge. Police allege he acted with his father, Sajid Akram, who was killed at the scene; Naveed was wounded. Court documents describe videos of firearms training and IS imagery, a Dec. 12 reconnaissance of the footbridge used in the attack, and several unexploded improvised devices. Akram is due back in court in April.
Bondi Beach Suspect Makes First Court Appearance on Murder and Terrorism Charges
State-appointed defense counsel Ben Archbold, who is representing Naveed Akram, speaks to the media outside Downing Center Local Court in Sydney on Monday after his client made a brief appearance by video-link from prison. Photo by Bianca de Marchi/EPA
The lone surviving suspect in the Bondi Beach attack, 24-year-old Naveed Akram, made his first court appearance in Sydney on Monday, facing multiple murder and terrorism charges stemming from the Dec. 14 assault at a Hanukkah gathering that officials say left 15 people dead and about 40 injured.
Hearing Details
Akram appeared by video link from Goulburn Supermax Prison to face 59 charges, including 15 counts of murder and a charge of carrying out a terror attack. Police allege he carried out the assault alongside his 50-year-old father, Sajid Akram, who was shot dead at the scene by officers. Authorities say Naveed Akram was also shot and seriously wounded during the incident.
During the brief hearing at Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court, Akram did not enter a plea. He was asked only to confirm that he understood an extension of a court order suppressing the identities of survivors who do not wish to be named in court. Defence lawyer Ben Archbold declined to say how his client will plead, saying it was too early to comment.
Evidence and Allegations
Court documents describe video evidence recovered by police. One clip, reportedly taken on a mobile phone, allegedly shows the two men undergoing firearms training at a rural New South Wales location, with footage police say depicts them "firing shotguns and moving in a tactical manner." Another video allegedly found on Naveed Akram's phone shows the pair posing with an Islamic State (IS) flag and long firearms, and allegedly includes statements about their motivation for the attack and denunciations of "Zionists."
Investigators say the assault was planned "meticulously" over several months. CCTV cited in court documents allegedly shows a reconnaissance trip to Bondi on Dec. 12, when the men scoped a footbridge they are accused of using to open fire on roughly 1,000 people gathered in Archer Park two days later. Documents also say the suspects threw several improvised explosive devices at the crowd — including what authorities described as a "tennis ball bomb" — but that none of the devices detonated.
Background And Ongoing Investigation
Authorities say Naveed and Sajid Akram spent most of November in a southern Philippines area known for Islamist militant activity. However, investigators have told reporters that, to date, there is no evidence the pair received training or logistical support there and that current findings indicate they appear to have acted without external assistance. The investigation remains active.
Naveed Akram is next due to appear in court in April. Prosecutors and police cautioned that further details remain subject to court processes and that ongoing measures protect the privacy of victims and survivors.
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