Bondi Beach attack: Pak link to legal gun license – everything we know about Sajid Akram, his son Naveed

At least 15 people were killed and 27 others injured after a father-son duo opened fire on people at a Jewish event at Australia’s famous Bondi Beach in Sydney.

The authorities have declared the incident a terrorist attack and identified the attackers as Sajid Akram and his son Naveed Akram.

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While Sajid, 50, was shot dead by the police during the attack, his son Naveed, 24, was greviously injured and is in hospital under police gaurd.

Sajid was a member of a recreational gun club and legally owned six firearms, including the one he used in the attack.

The attack has also prompted Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to consider tougher gun laws.

According to media reports, Sajid Akram arrived in Australia allegedly from Pakistan on a student visa in 1998. His student visa was upgraded to a partner visa in 2001. His son Naveed is an Australian citizen by birth.

According to the Australian Minister of Home Affairs, Tony Burke, Naveed Akram came under the scanner of ASIO in October 2019 over his connections to two people who were subsequently jailed.

However, a six-month investigation didn’t find any evidence of him planning acts of terrorism or antisemitism.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said that the attackers acted alone and were not part of any terrorist cell but were indeed motivated by the extremist ideology.

“They weren’t part of a wider cell, is the advice that we have up to this point…Clearly, they were motivated by this extremist ideology, and further detail, of course, will be released when the police go through their work,” Albanese told local media.

The police is also reportedly investigating their possible links to Islamic State terror ideology after an IS flag was found in their car.

Australian media also reported that the father-son duo had visited Philippines, considered a breeding ground for Islamic State terrorists, just weeks before their attack.

What happened at Bondi Beach? 

Earlier on Sunday evening, an event to mark the eight-day Jewish festival Hanukkah was underway at Bondi Beach when the two gunmen opened fire.

According to witnesses, the gunmen fired around 50 rounds before being shot by security personnel. Sajid died on the spot and Naveed sustained critical injuries.

At least 15 people, including a child, were killed in the attack and 26 others sustained injuries. The toll is likely to rise as 12 of the injured are being said to be in critical.

One of the attackers, Naveed, who is undergoing treatment at a hospital, may survive the attack as reports claimed his condition has stabilised.