Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has publicly stated that the perpetrators of the deadly mass shooting at Sydney's Bondi Beach were likely driven by "Islamic State ideology." The attack, which occurred on the evening of Sunday, December 14, 2025, resulted in the deaths of 15 people and left dozens more wounded.
Attack Targets Jewish Festival Crowd
The assailants, identified as 50-year-old Sajid Akram and his 24-year-old son Naveed, opened fire with long-barrelled guns on crowds gathered at the famous beach for Hanukkah celebrations. Authorities have labeled the assault an antisemitic terrorist attack designed to sow panic within Australia's Jewish community.
Among the victims were a 10-year-old girl, a Holocaust survivor, and a local rabbi. In total, 42 people were rushed to hospitals with gunshot wounds and other injuries sustained during the 10-minute rampage.
Investigation into Radicalization and Missed Signs
Prime Minister Albanese, in interviews on Tuesday, described the motivation as stemming from a "hateful ideology" linked to the rise of ISIS. He revealed that Naveed Akram had come to the attention of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) back in 2019.
"They interviewed him, they interviewed his family members, they interviewed people around him," Albanese told the ABC. However, at that time, Naveed was not considered an imminent threat or a person of interest.
Police are now urgently piecing together the duo's activities prior to the attack. A key line of inquiry, as reported by local media, is whether they met with Islamic extremists during a trip to the Philippines in November 2025.
Aftermath and Policy Response
On the day of the shooting, Naveed reportedly told his mother he was going on a fishing trip outside the city. Instead, authorities believe he and his father were holed up in a rental apartment plotting the assault.
Police shot and killed Sajid Akram at the scene. Naveed was also shot and remains in a coma under police guard in a hospital. Hours after the shooting, authorities discovered a homemade bomb, described as an "improvised explosive device," in a car parked near the beach, believed to have been planted by the pair.
In the wake of the tragedy, Australia's political leaders agreed on Monday to tighten gun laws. The changes will address regulations that had allowed Sajid Akram to legally own six firearms.
