Sydney, 16 December 2025 – One of the two attackers involved in the Bondi Beach shooting that killed at least 15 people during a Jewish gathering on 14 December has been identified as an Indian-origin man from Hyderabad, India, officials said.
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The gunman, Sajid Akram, 50, moved to Australia in 1998 on a student visa and had returned to India only a few times, most recently in 2022. He was killed by police at the scene. His son, Naveed Akram, 24, born in Australia and holding Australian citizenship, was shot by police and remains in critical condition.
Indian authorities confirmed Sajid’s background after verification and said his immediate family continues to live in Hyderabad. Officials reported no knowledge of his radicalisation or links to local networks. The Philippines also recorded Sajid as an Indian national when he and his son spent November 2025 in the country, travelling via Davao and Manila before returning to Australia.
Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett said early investigations indicate the attack was inspired by Daesh ideology, describing the father and son as aligned with the terrorist organisation rather than any religion. Police recovered improvised explosive devices and homemade ISIS flags in the younger attacker’s vehicle. Videos also emerged showing Naveed preaching in Sydney prior to the attack.
The shooting, Australia’s deadliest mass attack in nearly 30 years, claimed 16 lives, including the attackers. Victims ranged from a rabbi and Holocaust survivor to a 10-year-old girl, Matilda Britvan. Two police officers were critically injured but remain stable.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said investigators were still confirming details, including the attackers’ activities in the Philippines and potential radicalisation pathways. Authorities emphasised the attack targeted the Jewish community and warned against linking it to any religion.
The incident has reignited global concerns over extremist networks and the pathways through which individuals become radicalised abroad, as authorities continue piecing together the attackers’ movements and motivations.
