SYDNEY — Accused Bondi Beach gunman Naveed Akram made his first public court appearance via video link, facing terrorism and 15 murder charges tied to December’s mass shooting at a Hanukkah celebration — Australia’s deadliest mass shooting in nearly three decades.
Akram, appearing from prison for about five minutes, spoke only once — responding “yeah” when asked whether he had heard a discussion on extending suppression orders, according to the court and local media reports. The brief hearing focused largely on procedural matters, including restrictions on identifying some victims.
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The 40-year-old has been charged with terrorism, 15 counts of murder, multiple counts of causing wounds with intent to kill and planting explosives. Prosecutors allege Akram and his father, Sajid, meticulously planned the attack for months before opening fire on worshippers during the Jewish holiday. Police shot and killed Sajid at the scene.
Akram is due back in court on March 9. His lawyer, Ben Archbold, said his client is being held in “very onerous conditions,” national broadcaster ABC reported, adding it is too early to say how Akram will plead.
The December attack prompted a wave of national grief and anger, intensifying debate over rising antisemitism, community safety and the strength of Australia’s gun laws. Among those killed were an 87-year-old Holocaust survivor, a couple who confronted one of the gunmen and a 10-year-old girl.
Authorities are also under pressure over whether warning signs were missed. Australia’s domestic intelligence agency flagged Akram in 2019, but he later dropped off the radar after assessors judged he posed no imminent threat, officials have said.
Police documents released after the shooting describe months of preparation by the father and son, including firearms training believed to have taken place in rural New South Wales. Investigators said photos show the pair firing shotguns and moving in a “tactical manner.”
According to the documents, the suspects recorded an October video railing against “Zionists” while seated before a flag of the Islamic State group, outlining motivations for the planned attack. Authorities said the men conducted a nighttime reconnaissance of Bondi Beach just days before the killings.
Investigators also noted the pair returned to Sydney shortly before the massacre following a four-week trip to the southern Philippines. Officials have not publicly detailed what the men did on that trip or whether it had a direct link to the attack.
The court on Tuesday handled mainly technical proceedings, including extending orders that limit publication of certain details to protect victims and the integrity of the case. No bail application was made, and no plea was entered.
As the legal process begins to gather pace, federal and state leaders face renewed scrutiny over the resilience of community safety measures and the responsiveness of counterterrorism systems. Prime Ministerial and state-level pledges to tighten firearms access and expand community protections have followed the attack, though the specifics and timing of any reforms remain under discussion.
For victims’ families and survivors, the court appearance was a first, brief step in a long judicial process that will probe how the attack was conceived and executed — and whether authorities could or should have intervened sooner.
Akram remains in custody ahead of his next court date.
By Abdiwahab Ahmed
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
