Preliminary evidence indicates that 24-year-old Naveed Akram staged a “terrorist attack inspired by ISIS,” according to police statements released Wednesday. The charges were filed as the first funerals for the victims took place under strict security measures near the site of the attack. Australian authorities charged Akram with 59 offenses, including terrorism and 15 counts of murder, after he regained consciousness in a Sydney hospital following gunshot wounds sustained during the police intervention.
Akram is alleged to have carried out the attack on a Hanukkah celebration alongside his father, 50-year-old Sajid Akram. Police investigations are focusing on the pair’s alleged ISIS connections, including a recent trip to a southern Philippine island previously noted as a location linked to extremist activity. In addition to the murder charges, Akram faces 40 counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent to murder, as well as one count each for committing a terrorist act, discharging firearms, placing explosives, and publicly displaying a terrorist organization symbol, according to New South Wales police. “Police will allege in court the man engaged in conduct that caused death, serious injury and endangered life to advance a religious cause and cause fear in the community,” the department said.
The younger suspect’s father, Sajid Akram, was killed by police at the scene on Sunday. Naveed Akram was critically wounded and police delayed filing charges until his condition stabilized. NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon emphasized the importance of the suspect’s cognitive capacity for legal proceedings, stating, “It’s important he has appropriate cognitive ability. For his fairness, we need him to understand what is exactly happening.”
The attack targeted the Jewish community during a Hanukkah celebration, with a 10-year-old girl, a Holocaust survivor, and a rabbi among the fatalities. Dozens more were injured, including two police officers. Five victims remained in critical condition on Wednesday, according to the New South Wales health department. The actions of officers and civilians who intervened to subdue the attackers have drawn widespread praise. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese commended Boris and Sofia Gurman, a couple in their 60s who attempted to disarm one of the shooters and were killed in the process, calling them “Australian heroes.” He also recognized Ahmed al Ahmed, a 43-year-old Syrian Australian shop owner, who was seen in video footage tackling one of the gunmen, noting that he was undergoing surgery for his injuries.
