Bondi Attack Gunmen Inspired by Islamic State, Police Say

Reuters

People stand near flowers laid as a tribute at Bondi Beach to honour the victims of a mass shooting that targeted a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach in Sydney, 16 December 2025.

Australian police said on Tuesday that the two alleged gunmen who carried out a deadly attack at a Hanukkah event in Sydney’s Bondi Beach had travelled to the Philippines prior to the assault and appeared to have been inspired by the Islamic State (ISIS).

The attack, which took place on Sunday, is being investigated as an act of terrorism targeting the Jewish community and is Australia’s worst mass shooting in nearly 30 years. The death toll has risen to 16, including one of the suspected attackers.

Police identified the deceased gunman as Sajid Akram, 50, who was shot dead by officers at the scene. His 24-year-old son, identified by local media as Naveed Akram, was also shot and remains in critical condition in hospital.

Australian Federal Police said both men had travelled to the Philippines last month, with the purpose of the trip now under investigation in cooperation with Philippine authorities. Islamic State-linked networks are known to operate in parts of the Philippines, particularly in the southern region of Mindanao, though they have been significantly weakened in recent years.

“Early indications point to a terrorist attack inspired by Islamic State, allegedly committed by a father and son,” Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett told a news conference. She stressed that the alleged actions reflected alignment with a terrorist organisation, “not a religion”.

Police said a vehicle registered to the younger suspect contained improvised explosive devices and two homemade flags associated with Islamic State, which is designated a terrorist organisation by Australia and many other countries.

Investigators said the attackers opened fire on hundreds of people at the festival during a rampage lasting about 10 minutes, prompting mass panic as attendees fled or sought shelter. Around 25 survivors are receiving treatment in several Sydney hospitals.

Israel’s Ambassador to Australia, Amir Maimon, visited Bondi on Tuesday and called on the Australian government to take stronger measures to protect Jewish communities. “Only Australians of Jewish faith are forced to worship behind closed doors, CCTV and guards,” he said after laying flowers at a memorial site.

The attack comes amid a rise in antisemitic incidents across Australia over the past 16 months, leading the head of the country’s main intelligence agency to describe antisemitism as the most serious threat to life.

Bondi Beach, located around eight kilometres from central Sydney, is one of Australia’s most popular tourist destinations and attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.

Attention has also focused on Ahmed al Ahmed, a 43-year-old Muslim father of two who confronted one of the gunmen and seized his rifle during the attack. He remains in hospital with gunshot wounds and has been widely praised for his actions, including by U.S. President Donald Trump. A fundraising campaign for him has raised more than A$1.9 million.

The incident has prompted renewed scrutiny of Australia’s gun laws after police confirmed Sajid Akram was a licensed firearm owner with six registered weapons. Authorities clarified that he received his gun licence in 2023, not 2015 as previously stated.

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said firearm regulations introduced after the 1996 Port Arthur massacre should be reviewed. However, former prime minister John Howard, who enacted the original gun reforms, warned against allowing gun law debates to overshadow efforts to combat antisemitism, criticising the government for not doing enough to address the issue.

Source: Reuters



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