Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has pledged to introduce stricter gun laws after a mass shooting on Sydney’s Bondi Beach on Sunday claimed 16 lives.
One of the attackers, Sajid Akram, 50, was a licensed gun owner and gun club member who has been linked to six firearms, New South Wales Police confirmed.
Akram, who came to Australia on a student visa in 1998, and his Australian-born son Naveed, 24, opened fire on a Chabad gathering celebrating the first night of Chanukah.
He was allowed to retain the weapons despite his son being linked to a Sydney-based Islamic State cell as far back as October 2019, as confirmed by ASIO, Australia’s intelligence service.
ABC News has since reported that both men are believed to have pledged allegiance to Isis and that two of the terror group’s flags were found in the car they left at the scene.
Firearms licences must be renewed every three to five years and are issued by state governments, but are not regularly reviewed within those periods.
In response to the attack, Albanese pledged to implement tougher regulations following calls for a federal approach, including regular reviews of licence eligibility and a limit on the number of weapons individuals can own.
He told reporters: “The government is prepared to take whatever action is necessary. Included in that is the need for tougher gun laws.
"People’s circumstances can change. People can be radicalised over a period of time. Licences should not be in perpetuity.”
Several state leaders have also agreed to a review of the relevant legislation and committed to fast-tracking the introduction of a national register of gun owners, which is currently due to be activated in 2028.
Sunday’s attack was the deadliest shooting in Australia since the 35 people were killed in the Port Arthur massacre in 1996.
That incident prompted a significant tightening of gun laws through the National Firearms Act, including restrictions on the ownership of semi-automatic rifles and pump-action shotguns.
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