Bondi Beach terrorist unmasked as family speak out | World | News
A new image of Sajid Akram, the gunman allegedly responsible for the terrorist attack that killed 15 people and injured more than 40 people on Bondi Beach, has emerged.
When his identity was revealed, his family expressed shock, claiming they were unaware of his “radical mentality” or the “circumstances that led to his radicalization”. mirror reports..
The 50-year-old man is believed to have attacked Jewish Hanukkah celebrations at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, with his son Naveed. Sajid was shot dead by the police at the scene.
His 24-year-old son, who recently woke up from a coma, is accused of 59 crimes, including 15 murders. Police confirmed that the terrorist attack was caused by ISIS.
More details about Sajid Akram have been revealed by the authorities. He hailed from Hyderabad, a technology and pharmaceutical hub in India, and completed a Bachelor of Commerce before moving to Australia on a student visa in 1998.
He switched to a partner visa after marrying Naveed’s mother Venera in 2001. During this period, the alleged gunman traveled to India six times.
But he did not return when his father passed away in 2017, and his family in India said they were unaware of his extremist beliefs, according to police.
An Indian Police spokesman said: “Family members stated that they had no information about him. [Sajid’s] about his radical mentality or activities, or the circumstances that led to his radicalization. “The factors that led to Sajid Akram’s radicalization appear to have no connection with India or any local influence in Telangana.”
Looking at his visits, it seems that the last one took place in 2022. According to authorities, these visits were for family matters or property-related business.
It seems that his communication with his relatives has become increasingly rare lately.
This new intelligence from Indian law enforcement coincides with a clear photo emerging a week after the horrific incident. It is not known when this image was taken, but it was widely shared across Australian news organisations.
Australian authorities are simultaneously conducting their own investigation into the father and son’s journey to the Philippines before the terrorist incident. Immigration authorities confirmed that the duo set off for the South East Asian country on November 1, but the reason behind the trip is yet to be determined.
