Newly released court documents have painted a chilling picture of the meticulous, months-long planning that allegedly preceded the deadly terror attack at Sydney's Bondi Beach. The attack, which targeted a Jewish community event on 14 December 2025, left 15 people dead and dozens more wounded.
The Chilling Build-Up: Propaganda and Preparation
Police allege that the accused father and son duo, Sajid and Naveed Akram, began their preparations well in advance. In October 2025, a video was recorded on Naveed Akram's phone showing the pair sitting before an Islamic State flag. According to a police fact sheet, Naveed, who was seen with four long-arm firearms, recited a passage from the Qur'an in Arabic. Both men then made statements in English explaining their motives for the planned Bondi attack.
Another clip from the same month allegedly shows the pair conducting firearms training in a rural setting, believed to be in New South Wales. The footage reportedly depicts them firing shotguns and "moving in a tactical manner." This period of preparation also involved the alleged creation of explosive devices.
International Travel and Local Reconnaissance
The alleged plotters' movements in the weeks before the attack spanned international borders. Philippine authorities confirmed that Sajid and Naveed Akram arrived in the Philippines on 1 November and departed on 28 November 2025, staying in a hotel in Davao City for the duration.
Back in Sydney, Naveed Akram allegedly rented a room in an Airbnb property in the suburb of Campsie, booking it from 2 to 21 December. Just two days before the attack, on the night of 12 December, CCTV footage is said to have captured the pair on a "reconnaissance" visit to the car park near Archer Park at Bondi, walking along the footbridge.
Ten Minutes of Terror: The Attack Unfolds
The final stages of the alleged plan were put into motion in the early hours of 14 December. At 2.16am, CCTV allegedly shows the pair leaving the Campsie Airbnb carrying "long and bulky items" wrapped in blankets, which were placed into a silver Hyundai. Police allege these items included two single-barrel shotguns, a Beretta rifle, three pipe bombs, one tennis ball bomb, a larger IED, and two IS flags.
Later that day, at 5.09pm, the father and son were allegedly captured on camera leaving the house and driving towards Bondi. Their vehicle was seen parked on Ocean Street in Woollahra around 5.58pm, where Sajid Akram was allegedly seen adjusting the boot, revealing a black Islamic State flag.
By approximately 6.50pm, the pair had allegedly parked on Campbell Parade in Bondi and began their attack on the 'Chanukah by the Sea 2025' event at Archer Park. The shooting lasted around ten minutes. Sajid Akram was killed at the scene. Naveed Akram was shot in the abdomen, taken to hospital in a critical condition, and later arrested. He has been charged with 15 counts of murder and one count of committing a terrorist attack.
Aftermath and Investigations
In the wake of the attack, police searches of the family home in Bonnyrigg uncovered a trove of concerning items. These included a homemade firearm, a long bow with 12 arrows, and a copy of the Qur'an with specific passages highlighted. A subsequent search of the Campsie premises allegedly yielded a rifle, a shotgun, and bomb-making equipment.
Summarising the evidence, police stated in court documents that there is clear indication the father-son pair "meticulously planned this terrorist attack for many months." The detailed timeline, from the production of an IS-inspired video to tactical training and reconnaissance, underscores the prolonged and calculated nature of the alleged plot that culminated in a devastating act of violence on a Sydney beach.
