ABC airs former Asio agent’s claims that Bondi shooters were radicalised years ago, despite agency’s criticism | Bondi beach terror attack

ABC’s Four Corners broadcast claims from a former undercover agent that father-son terrorists Sajid and Naveed Akram showed signs of radicalization years before they killed 15 people on Bondi beach.

The Australian Security Intelligence Agency (Asio) assessed Naveed, then 17, for his alleged associations with individuals involved in an Islamic State cell in 2019, but later concluded he was not an ongoing threat.

The Four Corners investigation into the pair was aired on Monday night despite Asio’s highly unusual and pre-emptive claim that the episode contained “significant factual errors”. Asio determined the content of the program based on detailed questions sent by the ABC before broadcast.

“If the ABC chooses to broadcast allegations it cannot substantiate – particularly those it has been told are untrue – we will reserve the right to take further action,” Asio said in a statement published on Sunday night.

The ABC confirmed it had not made any contact with Asio since the broadcast and had not received any legal threats. Asio declined to comment on whether it would take any action following publication.

ABC chief executive Hugh Marks will appear before Senate estimates on Tuesday, when Asio’s interference is expected to be raised ahead of the ABC programme.

On Monday night’s show, the former agent known as “Marcus” claimed that during his time undercover as a radical cleric, he provided Asio with a detailed account of how Naveed was linked to an Islamic State cell. Asio dismissed his statements as “lacking evidence”.

The ABC reported that in his youth, Naveed associated with members of a terrorist cell and aides of radical cleric Wisam Haddad.

“What happened on Bondi beach was the result of a series of mistakes and ignorance of information,” Marcus told the ABC.

“How [could] someone like this [have] Did it slip under the radar of Asio and Australian authorities?”

While Marcus told the program that Sajid expressed support for ISIS when the pair met in 2019, the ABC also reported that the father also expressed his admiration for a leading Al Qaeda propagandist to another man.

“After that conversation, I thought Sajid was more extremist than his son,” Marcus said of the 2019 meeting.

A senior counter-terrorism official with close knowledge of the current investigation told the ABC that Sajid may have already been radicalized when he met with the agency to interview his son as part of the assessment.

Sajid was shot and killed by police during the attack on December 14. Naveed is being held in custody, accused of 59 crimes.

Ahead of the programme’s broadcast, Asio described Marcus, who left Australia and went into hiding after falling out with the agency, as an unreliable and disgruntled source.

“The allegations made by Four Corners were investigated at the time and were found to be false,” Asio said.

Asio claimed Marcus “misidentified Naveed Akram”, a claim he denies.

“I absolutely deny Asio’s claim that I misidentified Naveed Akram, whom I have met regularly face to face for many years,” Marcus said.

Marcus told the program he was willing to give evidence to the royal commission that he had informed Asio that both the father and son supported ISIS.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese makes a federal statement royal commission Last month we came together to examine the prevalence of antisemitism, how law enforcement responds to antisemitism, the circumstances surrounding the alleged Bondi attack, and strengthening social cohesion.

Ahead of the report’s publication, reporter Sean Rubinsztein-Dunlop said the seven-week investigation had revealed new information about the years leading up to the attack and asked whether Asio’s assessment that Naveed was not a threat was the “correct decision”.

On Tuesday independent MP Andrew Wilkie said Four Corners had a reputation for credibility and quality journalism. But he also said he respected Asio’s chief executive Mike Burgess, so the veracity of the allegations remained “an open question”.

He said the royal commission could examine “rival claims and counter-claims”. ABC News Breakfast.