Bondi attack suspects planned shooting for months, police allege

Australian police allege that the gunmen behind the deadly Bondi Beach attack meticulously planned the assault over several months, conducting reconnaissance visits, weapons training, and preparations involving explosives that ultimately failed to detonate. Newly released court documents provide the most detailed account yet of the movements and alleged motivations of the attackers ahead of the 14 December shooting that killed 15 people.

Allegations detailed in newly released court documents

The allegations are contained in a police fact sheet made public after a temporary suppression order was lifted by a New South Wales court. Authorities said the order had been imposed to protect the identities of survivors and witnesses and was revoked earlier this week, allowing the release of redacted material.

According to police, the attack was carried out by Naveed Akram, 24, who survived the incident, and his father, Sajid Akram, who was shot dead by officers at the scene. Naveed Akram has been charged with 59 offences, including 15 counts of murder and one terrorism-related offence.

The documents allege the pair began planning the attack months in advance, with evidence drawn from mobile phone videos, CCTV footage, and forensic analysis. Investigators say the planning culminated in a coordinated assault on a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach on 14 December.

Videos and alleged ideological motivations

Police allege that videos recorded on one of the men’s mobile phones in October show both suspects seated in front of an image of an Islamic State (IS) flag. In the footage, they are heard discussing their motivations and condemning what police describe as “the acts of ‘Zionists’.”

The documents also state that Naveed Akram appears in the video reciting a passage from the Quran in Arabic. Authorities stress that the footage forms part of a broader evidentiary picture and is being relied upon to establish intent and ideological motivation.

Separate videos from the same period allegedly show the father and son conducting firearms training in a rural area believed to be in New South Wales. Police say the footage depicts the men firing shotguns and moving “in a tactical manner.”

Reconnaissance visits to Bondi

CCTV footage cited in the documents places two men believed to be the accused and his father at Bondi Beach on the evening of 12 December, two days before the attack. Police say the pair parked their car near a footbridge overlooking the area and walked along it before leaving.

“The accused and his father are seen to exit the vehicle and walk along the footbridge, being the same position where they attended two days later and shot at members of the public,” the police fact sheet states. Investigators allege this visit was a reconnaissance exercise intended to familiarise the men with the location and crowd movements.

Weapons, explosives, and the day of the attack

In the early hours of 14 December, at around 02:00 local time, CCTV footage captured two men leaving rented accommodation in the Sydney suburb of Campsie. Police allege they were carrying long, bulky items wrapped in blankets, which were loaded into a car.

The documents state that the items included two single-barrel shotguns, a Beretta rifle, four improvised explosive devices, and two IS flags. Later that afternoon, the men were again seen leaving the rental property and driving towards Bondi.

Footage shows the vehicle arriving at Bondi at approximately 18:50, where police allege the suspects placed the IS flags inside the front and rear windows. They are then seen removing firearms and the explosive devices before walking towards the footbridge overlooking the gathering.

From that location, police believe the men threw several explosives—described as three pipe bombs and a so-called “tennis ball bomb”—towards the crowd. None of the devices detonated. Shortly afterwards, the suspects allegedly opened fire on people below.

Fourteen people were killed at the scene. A fifteenth victim later died from injuries sustained in the shooting.

Bondi attack court documents describe the assault as one of the deadliest acts of mass violence in Australia in recent years, prompting renewed scrutiny of counterterrorism efforts and gun laws.

Police response and arrests

During the incident, Sajid Akram was shot and killed in an exchange of fire with New South Wales Police officers. Naveed Akram was critically wounded and taken to hospital under guard.

Police confirmed that Naveed Akram was discharged from hospital earlier this week and transferred to a correctional facility, where he remains in custody awaiting further court proceedings.

Political fallout and intelligence questions

The attack has triggered intense political and community debate. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has faced criticism from sections of Australia’s Jewish community, who have accused the government of not responding forcefully enough to antisemitic threats prior to the attack.

Albanese was booed by some attendees at a memorial event over the weekend and later issued a public apology to Jewish Australians. He said his government would “work every day” to ensure their safety and signalled support for stronger legislation targeting extremism and hate speech.

At the same time, questions have emerged about whether intelligence warnings were adequately acted upon. It has previously been reported that Naveed Akram was investigated several years ago over alleged links to a Sydney-based IS cell.

Albanese has said the suspect first came to the attention of authorities in 2019, but an assessment at the time found “no indication of any ongoing threat or threat of him engaging in violence.”

Further scrutiny has focused on how the father and son were able to travel to the Philippines in the month before the attack and how Sajid Akram was able to obtain firearms. New South Wales Premier Chris Minns said on Monday that he would not speculate while investigations were ongoing.

Calls for inquiry and legislative changes

There is growing pressure on the federal government to establish a Royal Commission, Australia’s highest form of public inquiry, to examine the circumstances surrounding the attack. Calls have come from Jewish community leaders as well as opposition and crossbench lawmakers.

At the state level, the New South Wales parliament was recalled this week to debate a package of new gun control and protest laws introduced in response to the shooting. The proposed measures have drawn mixed reactions, with some civil liberties groups and pro-gun advocates warning they could impose excessive restrictions.

Premier Minns acknowledged the concerns but said the changes were necessary. “Some people may feel these measures go too far,” he said. “But our priority is keeping the community safe.”