Police have outlined their case against the Bondi Islamic terrorists, alleging the father-and-son gunmen recited from the Koran and condemned Zionists in a video filmed in the lead-up to the attack.
A 22-page police factsheet released by a Sydney court on Monday also contains images and videos from October showing Sajid Akram, 50, and Naveed Akram, 24, conducting firearms training in the countryside, and shows the ISIS flags and homemade bombs found at the scene.
Sajid was shot dead by police during the attack on the Jewish Chanukah by the Sea event on December 14, while Naveed was critically wounded and has since been charged with 59 offences including 15 counts of murder and 40 counts of attempted murder.
“The accused and his father acted in a joint criminal enterprise, aimed at causing a person’s death and furthering an extremist political, religious and ideological cause, namely religiously motivated violence extremism aligned to the Islamic State,” the document reads, The Australian reported.
Police will allege Naveed was inspired by ISIS, citing a video from his phone filmed in October where the Akrams “recite their political and religious views and appear to summarise their justification for the Bondi terrorist attack”.
The video shows the father and son sitting in front of an image of an ISIS flag and four rifles where he recites a passage from the Koran in Arabic, police said.
“Following the recitation, both the accused and Sajid speak in English and make a number of statements regarding their motivation for the ‘Bondi attack’ and condemning the acts of ‘Zionists’,” the documents state.
The statement of police facts also reveals that the Akrams parked their car next to the Bondi footbridge where the shooting unfolded, unfurled homemade ISIS flags, and hurled explosive devices at the crowd, but they did not detonate. Police said it was unclear which one of the terrorists threw the bombs.
“Upon approach to the footbridge, investigators believe the three pipe bombs and tennis ball bomb were thrown towards the crowd of people in Archer Park,” the document states.
“Preliminary analysis indicates the pipe bombs were made of sealed aluminium piping containing explosive, black powder and steel ball bearings. The pipe bombs did not detonate; however, preliminary analysis indicates both items were assessed as viable improvised explosive devices.”
Police allege the pair loaded their guns – two single-barrel shotguns and a Beretta rifle – the IEDs, and two ISIS flags into their Hyundai Elantra from an Airbnb in Campsie on the morning of the attack, after driving past Bondi Beach two days earlier.
A firearms scope, another suspected IED, 3D-printed gun parts, a rifle, a shotgun, bomb-making equipment and two copies of the Koran were also found at the property, while a raid on the Akram’s home in Bonnyrigg resulted in police seizing a bow and arrows, a homemade wooden firearm, and a highlighted copy of the Koran.
“There is evidence that the accused and his father Sajid meticulously planned this terrorist attack for many months through actions including making an ISIS-inspired video, making of ISIS flags, firearms training, making of pipe bombs and IEDs, booking of accommodation to act as a staging post, and transportation of firearms and ammunition for the attack,” police allege.
Naveed Akram did not apply for bail, which was formally refused by Deputy Chief Magistrate Michael Antrim in Sydney Local Court.
He was moved from Royal North Shore Hospital to a correctional facility, police confirmed on Monday.
Header image: Left, one of the explosive devices. Right, Naveed Akram shooting a shotgun in the countryside (NSW Police).
