The Sydney man acclaimed for disarming a gunman during the Bondi terror attack has been charged with assaulting his father. Ahmed al-Ahmed, 44, is accused of placing his father in a headlock on 9 March at a property in Bankstown, in the city's west.
New South Wales police confirmed he was charged on Wednesday with common assault and “stalk or intimidate”. Speaking to 2GB on Friday, Mr al-Ahmed said the situation had caused him deep anxiety, adding that he was “shocked” and described the allegations as “untrue”.
He also indicated that his relationship with his family had been complicated by the $2.6m raised through a GoFundMe appeal following the Bondi attack. The fundraiser ultimately collected more than $3m.
Mr al-Ahmed was hailed as a hero after footage emerged of him tackling and disarming Sajid Akram during the incident in December. He was shot multiple times but recovered, and was later awarded the Keys to the City of Canterbury-Bankstown and Waverley. He also received a standing ovation at the Sydney Cricket Ground during the Ashes series.
The attack took place at a Hanukah event where 15 people were killed, with Akram shot dead by police. His son, Naveed Akram, was wounded by police and later charged with 59 offences. Mr al-Ahmed was visited in hospital by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and NSW Premier Chris Minns during his recovery.
