Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has declared that the perpetrators of the violent assault at Bondi Beach, which tragically claimed 16 lives, were motivated by the extremist ideology of the Islamic State (ISIS). The two attackers, identified as Sajid Akram, 50, and his son Naveed Akram, 24, targeted a Jewish festival on Sunday evening in a shocking act of violence.
“It would appear that this was motivated by Islamic State ideology,” Albanese stated, highlighting the dangerous nature of this hateful ideology and its potential for fostering mass murder. He further revealed that Naveed Akram had previously been on the radar of Australian security agencies in 2019 due to associations with individuals involved in extremism. However, at that time, he was not considered a significant threat.
Further complicating the investigation is the recovery of an ISIS flag from the suspects’ vehicle. Officials have confirmed the father-son duo’s origins are from Pakistan, and the father possessed multiple firearms licenses. Police are intensifying efforts to understand the full circumstances of the attack, including whether it was an independent act or connected to broader extremist networks. The impact on the Jewish community and Australia at large has been profound.