ITV's Good Morning Britain delivered breaking news on Monday, revealing chilling new details about the suspects behind the deadly Bondi Beach shooting in Australia. Presenters Ed Balls and Charlotte Hawkins handed over to Sean Fletcher, who shared a police update described as a "picture of evil".
Chilling Evidence of Premeditation
Sean Fletcher informed viewers that Naveed Akram, 24, the man suspected of killing 15 people, had conducted firearms training with his father, Sajid Akram, 50, prior to the attack. Australian police released photographs showing the pair holding guns during this training in a rural location, suspected to be in New South Wales, in late October.
According to newly released court documents, the duo also threw four undetonated explosives at the start of their assault on a Hanukkah celebration on 14 December. One of these was identified as a tennis ball bomb. Police confirmed the improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were viable.
The Attack and Its Aftermath
The father and son are accused of launching a violent attack on attendees at the Jewish event, claiming the lives of victims aged between 10 and 87 years old and wounding 40 others. In total, 55 people were affected. Sajid Akram was shot dead by police at the scene, while his son Naveed was injured and taken to hospital.
Following the lifting of a suppression order by a New South Wales court, a 41-page police fact sheet outlined the horrific sequence of events. An Australian correspondent on GMB stated the document "paints a picture of evil", tracing the steps of the two men.
Weapons Cache and Terrorism Charges
Officers claim the men had concealed a significant arsenal in a silver Hyundai vehicle. This included three pipe bombs, one tennis ball bomb, one large IED, two single-barrel shotguns, a Beretta rifle, and two Islamic State flags. Police also found bomb-making equipment and additional weapons like a longbow and 12 arrows at a related location.
Naveed Akram has now been charged with 59 offences, including a terrorism offence. Authorities moved him from hospital to a correctional facility on Monday, 22 December. The investigation continues as the community mourns, with around 100 people gathering outside Australia House in London following the attack.
