Indian police have stated that the family of Sajid Akram, one of the alleged gunmen in Sunday's Bondi beach attack, were unaware of his alleged radical mindset. Akram, 50, originally from Hyderabad, moved to Australia in 1998 and had not returned to India since his father's death. Local police in Telangana said they had no adverse record of him before his departure.
The attack, which killed 15 people and injured 22, is being investigated as an act of terrorism targeting the Jewish community. The first funerals for victims, including Rabbi Eli Schlanger and Rabbi Yaakov Levitan, were held on Wednesday. Twenty-two wounded remain in Sydney hospitals, with three in critical condition.
Naveed Akram, 24, the second alleged gunman, awoke from a coma on Tuesday and may be charged soon. New South Wales police commissioner Mal Lanyon confirmed custody procedures had begun. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese expects charges to be laid in the coming hours.
Australian police are investigating a trip Sajid and Naveed Akram took to the Philippines last month, the purpose of which remains unclear. Officials have not confirmed any links to terrorist groups or training.
At a memorial on Tuesday, the parents of the youngest victim, 10-year-old Matilda, spoke of their grief. The family, originally from Ukraine, named her Matilda as the most Australian name they could think of. Other victims include Holocaust survivor Alexander Kleytman, 87, and community volunteer Marika Pogany, 82.
