Court filings also revealed that the two men hurled ‘viable’ homemade explosives at the crowd celebrating Chanukah at Bondi Beach, which fortunately failed to detonate
December 22, 2025 11:50
The Bondi Beach terrorists who killed 15 people in a mass shooting last Sunday made a video condemning “Zionists” prior to the attack, court filings submitted by New South Wales police have revealed.
Father and son Sajid and Naveed Akram opened fire with rifles on a crowd celebrating Chanukah at the iconic Sydney beach in a massacre inspired by Islamic State.
Authorities believe the two men pledged their allegiance to the Iraq-based terror group prior to the attack and an Isis flag was found in their car.
Sajid, 50, was shot dead at the scene by police, while Naveed, 24, was critically wounded. He has now been discharged from hospital and transferred to prison, facing 59 charges, including committing an act of terrorism.
According to the police Statement of Facts submitted to the Downing Centre Local Court, which could not be published until Monday morning, investigators have subsequently discovered video clips on Naveed’s phone showing the two attackers, sitting in front of an Isis flag and surrounded by rifles, explaining their motives.
“The accused is recorded appearing to recite, in Arabic, a passage from the Quran,” wrote New South Wales Police.
"Following the recitation, both the accused and (Sajid Akram) speak in English and make a number of statements regarding their motivation for the ‘Bondi attack’ and condemning the actions of ‘Zionists’.
"Police allege that the accused Naveed and his father, Sajid, adhere to a religiously motivated extremist ideology linked to Islamic State.
"This is demonstrated by their videoed speech and use of Islamic State flags during the attack.”
The force also reported details of videos showing the two men participating in “firearms training” in rural New South Wales.
Following the attack, authorities confirmed that Sajid was a licensed member of a gun club and the legal owner of six firearms, at least four of which are believed to have been used in the massacre.
"The accused and his father are seen throughout the video firing shotguns and moving in a tactical manner,” added police.
The statement went on to reveal that the men threw “viable” homemade explosives, including three pipe bombs and a tennis ball bomb – a form of improvised hand grenade – which could have significantly increased the death toll.
Setting out the sequence of events during the attack, it said: “Upon parking the vehicle, the accused and (Sajid Akram) removed the IS flags from the vehicle and placed them on the inside of the front and rear windscreen, respectively.
“Sajid Akram proceeded to remove the three firearms from the vehicle, as well as the pipe bombs and Tennis Ball Bombs, moved towards the footbridge.
“Upon approaching the footbridge, investigators believe the three pipe bombs and the tennis ball bomb were thrown towards the crowd of people in Archer Park.
"The pipe bombs did not detonate. However, preliminary analysis indicates both items were assessed as viable improvised explosive devices.”
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