In a shocking incident that has captured national attention, one of the two men suspected of carrying out a mass shooting at Bondi Beach has been identified as Sajid Akram, a 50-year-old originally from southern India. According to police sources, Akram had limited contact with his family back in his hometown of Hyderabad, where he was born. The tragic event occurred on a Sunday during a celebration of the Jewish festival of Hanukkah, resulting in the deaths of 15 people and injuring dozens more.
Sajid Akram, who died at the scene of the attack, migrated to Australia in 1998. A police official from the Indian state of Telangana confirmed that he had only returned to India six times since relocating, primarily for family-related reasons, including property matters and visits to elderly parents. Notably, he did not travel to India even at the time of his father's death, which raises questions about his connection to his family.
Authorities have stated that the factors leading to the radicalization of Sajid Akram and his 24-year-old son, Naveed Akram, do not appear to be linked to their roots in India or any local influences in Telangana. The official also confirmed that Sajid had no criminal record in India and had completed a degree before moving to Australia in search of employment. He later married a woman of European descent, further establishing his life in Australia.
As the investigation continues, police are scrutinizing the father and son's travel to the Philippines in the weeks leading up to the Bondi Beach shooting. They arrived in the Philippines on November 1 and left on November 28. Sajid Akram reportedly traveled using an Indian passport, while Naveed used Australian identification. There are claims that the pair sought military-style training during their time in the Philippines, though these reports have yet to be confirmed by officials.
In light of the incident, the foreign ministers of the Philippines and Australia have agreed to maintain close communication regarding developments in the investigation. Philippine Foreign Affairs Minister Maria Theresa Lazaro reached out to her Australian counterpart, Penny Wong, to ensure both nations are aligned on information related to the Bondi Beach shooting.
Reports indicate that Naveed Akram had previously been investigated due to potential ties with a Sydney-based IS terrorism cell. The Islamic State (IS) is an extremist Islamist group responsible for numerous terrorist attacks worldwide, including the infamous 2015 Paris attacks. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese revealed that Naveed first came to the attention of authorities in 2019 due to his associations; however, at that time, no ongoing threat was assessed.
The investigation into the Bondi Beach shooting continues, as authorities work to uncover the motivations behind this tragic event and the background of the suspects involved.