Disturbing new footage has been revealed showing the two men accused of carrying out the Bondi Beach massacre training for the attack while condemning the actions of 'Zionists'. The video forms part of a detailed cache of police evidence released by a Sydney court on Monday.
Months of Meticious Planning Uncovered
Police allege that Naveed Akram, 24, and his father, Sajid Akram, 50, meticulously planned the terrorist act for many months leading up to the attack on Sunday, December 14. The pair are accused of targeting a Jewish Hanukkah celebration at Bondi's Archer Park, in what has become Australia's worst mass shooting since 1996.
The court documents state that footage recorded in late October, approximately six to eight weeks before the attack, shows each man training with long-arm guns in a tactical manner in a rural location, suspected to be in New South Wales. In the video, Naveed Akram appears to recite a passage from the Quran in Arabic before both men speak in English about their motivation for the 'Bondi attack'.
Failed Bombs and a Staging Post
The alleged planning extended to reconnaissance, with security camera footage from Bondi Beach reportedly showing the Akrams scoping out the area about 48 hours prior. Police also allege the men used a short-term rental home in Campsie, in Sydney's southwest, as a staging post.
In the early hours of December 14, CCTV captured the men carrying long, bulky items wrapped in blankets and loading them into a silver Hyundai Elantra. Police claim these items concealed an arsenal including two single-barrel shotguns, a Beretta rifle, five homemade bombs, and two ISIS flags.
After arriving at Bondi Beach after 5pm, the men allegedly threw several shrapnel-filled pipe bombs and a 'tennis ball bomb' into the Hanukkah crowd before opening fire. Crucially, none of the pipe bombs detonated, despite being found to be viable in preliminary police analysis, in a failed attempt to claim more lives.
Aftermath and Legal Proceedings
Naveed Akram now faces 59 charges, including committing a terrorist act and 15 counts of murder. His father, Sajid Akram, was killed during the attack. On Monday, the younger Akram was discharged from hospital and transferred to an undisclosed prison with the aid of the police riot squad.
In a move to protect victim-survivors, Deputy Chief Magistrate Michael Antrum suppressed the identities of 25 survivors. This order allows them to choose if and when to share their stories publicly. Further weaponry and explosive devices were later discovered at the Campsie rental property.
Naveed Akram has been refused bail and is scheduled for his next court mention in April. The released police allegations paint a chilling picture of a planned, religiously motivated extremist attack that has left a deep scar on the community.
