Accused mass shooter Naveed Akram appears in court via video link as Australia grapples with the aftermath of the nation’s worst mass shooting in decades
SYDNEY: Accused Bondi Beach mass shooter Naveed Akram appeared in a Sydney court via video link on Monday. This marked his first public hearing since the December attack, Australia’s worst mass shooting in nearly 30 years.
Akram and his father, Sajid, allegedly attacked a Hanukkah celebration. Sajid was shot and killed by police during the incident.
Akram faces charges of terrorism, 15 counts of murder, and dozens of counts of causing wounds with intent to kill and planting explosives. He appeared from prison for about five minutes, according to a court statement and local media.
The hearing dealt mostly with technical matters, including suppressing the identification of some victims. Akram wore a green jersey and reportedly spoke only one word, “yeah,” when asked by the judge if he understood a discussion about suppression orders.
A timeline of evidence was also discussed during the brief session. Akram is scheduled to next appear in court on March 9.
Speaking outside court, Akram’s lawyer Ben Archbold said his client was being held in “very onerous conditions”. Archbold also said it was too early to say whether Akram would plead guilty.
The mass shooting has sparked national soul-searching about antisemitism and anger over the failure to shield Jewish Australians. It has also led to promises to stiffen gun laws.
Among the victims were an 87-year-old Holocaust survivor and a 10-year-old girl described as a “ray of sunshine”. A couple who confronted one of the gunmen were also killed.
Police and intelligence agencies face questions over whether they could have acted earlier. Naveed Akram was flagged by Australia’s intelligence agency in 2019 but was later deemed not an imminent threat.
Police documents state the pair carried out “firearms training” in the New South Wales countryside prior to the attack. They said the suspects “meticulously planned” the attack for months.
Pictures released by police show the suspects firing shotguns and moving in what was described as a “tactical manner”. The pair also recorded a video in October railing against “Zionists” in front of an Islamic State flag.
Documents show they made a nighttime reconnaissance trip to Bondi Beach just days before the killings. A few weeks before the attack, the pair returned to Sydney from a four-week trip to the southern Philippines.
The Sun Malaysia
