New Weapons Charges Filed Against Suspect in Deadly Bondi Beach Hanukkah Festival Shooting
Australian man accused of killing 15 people at a Hanukkah celebration faces additional charges.
WELLINGTON, New Zealand: An Australian man accused of killing 15 individuals during a massacre at a Hanukkah celebration on Sydney's Bondi Beach will face 19 more charges related to the attack, officials announced Wednesday.
Naveed Akram, aged 24, was previously charged with 59 counts including murder, attempted murder, and committing a terrorist act after two gunmen launched an attack on the Jewish holiday event in December 2025.
Akram has not yet been required to enter a plea.
During the incident, he was shot and wounded, while his father Sajid Akram, 50, was killed in a subsequent gun battle with police that brought the attack to an end.
The massacre was inspired by the Daesh group, according to Australian police.
Scheduled to appear via a video link from jail during a procedural hearing at Sydney's Downing Center Local Court on Wednesday, the discussion centered around a gag order meant to protect the identities of victims and survivors who have not chosen to identify themselves publicly.
Since Akram's last appearance, 19 additional charges were laid on April 15.
These include 10 counts of shooting with intent to murder and six counts of discharging a firearm with intent to resist arrest.
According to court documents provided earlier, the attack commenced with the suspects throwing improvised explosive devices toward the crowd celebrating Hanukkah at one of Australia's most popular beaches; however, these devices did not detonate.
A larger IED was discovered in the trunk of the son’s car, which had been adorned with Daesh group flags, as reported by police.
The police investigation is part of three official inquiries examining Australia’s worst alleged terrorist attack and the nation's deadliest mass shooting in 29 years.
One inquiry focuses on interactions between law enforcement and intelligence agencies before the attack.
A royal commission, Australia's highest form of public inquiry, is investigating the nature and prevalence of antisemitism in daily life as well as the circumstances surrounding the Bondi shooting.
The commission released an interim report in April advocating for stricter gun controls and commenced its first public hearings on Monday.
Naveed Akram, aged 24, was previously charged with 59 counts including murder, attempted murder, and committing a terrorist act after two gunmen launched an attack on the Jewish holiday event in December 2025.
Akram has not yet been required to enter a plea.
During the incident, he was shot and wounded, while his father Sajid Akram, 50, was killed in a subsequent gun battle with police that brought the attack to an end.
The massacre was inspired by the Daesh group, according to Australian police.
Scheduled to appear via a video link from jail during a procedural hearing at Sydney's Downing Center Local Court on Wednesday, the discussion centered around a gag order meant to protect the identities of victims and survivors who have not chosen to identify themselves publicly.
Since Akram's last appearance, 19 additional charges were laid on April 15.
These include 10 counts of shooting with intent to murder and six counts of discharging a firearm with intent to resist arrest.
According to court documents provided earlier, the attack commenced with the suspects throwing improvised explosive devices toward the crowd celebrating Hanukkah at one of Australia's most popular beaches; however, these devices did not detonate.
A larger IED was discovered in the trunk of the son’s car, which had been adorned with Daesh group flags, as reported by police.
The police investigation is part of three official inquiries examining Australia’s worst alleged terrorist attack and the nation's deadliest mass shooting in 29 years.
One inquiry focuses on interactions between law enforcement and intelligence agencies before the attack.
A royal commission, Australia's highest form of public inquiry, is investigating the nature and prevalence of antisemitism in daily life as well as the circumstances surrounding the Bondi shooting.
The commission released an interim report in April advocating for stricter gun controls and commenced its first public hearings on Monday.
