Bondi Beach assault suspect ‘recorded motivation video,’ police declare
Accused gunman Naveed Akram allegedly recorded video with father outlining justification for attack on Jewish celebration that killed 15 people, court documents reveal
A gunman, accused of a fatal shooting spree on Australia’s Bondi Beach, filmed a video detailing what police claim was his motive for a “meticulously” orchestrated assault on a Jewish celebration. In another video recorded in October 2025, it is alleged by the police that father and son duo, Sajid and Naveed Akram, are seen conducting firearms training in the Australian outback.
Naveed Akram, aged 24, faces charges of 15 counts of murder and one count of committing a terrorist act in relation to the Sydney attack, which resulted in 15 fatalities and left dozens injured on December 14.
His father, Sajid, aged 50, was fatally shot by police at the scene. Last week, a Sydney court imposed a temporary suppression order on the alleged statement of fact from New South Wales (NSW) Police, but this was overturned on Monday.
Court documents reveal that police discovered material on Akram’s mobile phone suggesting he and his father adhered to what they described as a “religiously motivated extremist” ideology.
According to NSW law enforcement, the footage allegedly shows Naveed Akram “recorded appearing to recite, in Arabic, a passage from the Koran”.
The police statement reads: “Following the recitation, both the accused and S Akram speak in English and make a number of statements regarding their motivation for the ‘Bondi attack’ and condemning the acts of ‘Zionists’.
“In this video, the accused and (his father) recite their political and religious views and appear to summarise their justification for the Bondi terrorist attack.”
Naveed Akram faces charges including 40 counts of causing wounding or grievous bodily harm with intent to murder, discharging a firearm intending to cause grievous bodily harm, a public display of a prohibited terrorist organisation symbol, and placing an explosive in or near a building with intent to cause harm.
Police claim Arkam and his father positioned their vehicle near a footbridge overlooking Archer Park at Bondi around 6.50pm, displaying Islamic State flags in the front and rear windows.
It is alleged they retrieved three firearms from the vehicle, alongside a tennis ball bomb and three pipe bombs. Though the pipe bombs failed to explode, law enforcement deemed the explosives as “viable”, according to court documents.
Investigators claim the pair then fired upon a crowd of more than 1,000 people assembled in the park to mark the beginning of the Jewish Hanukkah festival of lights, and hurled multiple explosive devices into the gathering.
It remains uncertain whether Akram or his father launched the improvised explosives, police said.
NSW Police stated there is evidence the father and son “meticulously planned this terrorist attack for many months”.
Police claim Akram received “advanced medical care” in a Sydney hospital following the shooting.
In the subsequent days, he allegedly needed to be reminded of conversations with officers and that he was in police custody. New South Wales state government confirmed Akram was moved from hospital to prison on Monday, according to the Associated Press.
The atrocity – Australia’s most devastating in nearly three decades – sparked global condemnation and governmental proposals to strengthen the nation’s firearm legislation and hate-speech laws.
The country observed one week since the assault with a national day of reflection on Sunday. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese urged citizens nationwide to honour a minute’s silence and illuminate a candle at 6.47pm, the local time when the attack commenced seven days earlier.
“For our Jewish community, the pain is deep. For people across the country, the shock is still raw,” he posted on X.
“Together, we will fight against antisemitism in every form.”
Amongst those killed was London-born Rabbi Eli Schlanger, 41, a father of five and assistant rabbi at Chabad of Bondi.
His funeral took place last week.
During an emotional tribute, his father-in-law, Rabbi Yehoram Ulman, told mourners it was “unthinkable we talk about you in the past tense”.
