Overview

Naveed Akram is one of the suspects responsible for carrying out the Bondi Beach massacre on December 14, 2025, in Sydney, Australia. Along with his father, Sajid, the pair targeted Jewish Australians celebrating the first night of Hanukkah. In Australia’s deadliest mass shooting in over 30 years, the massacre killed at least 15 people and injured at least 40 others.Jessie Yeung, Sandi Sidhu, Jinky Jorgio, and Todd Symons, “Bondi terror suspects driven by ‘Islamic State ideology,’ recently traveled to Philippine island wracked by extremism,” CNN, December 16, 2025, https://edition.cnn.com/2025/12/16/australia/bondi-beach-shooting-suspects-intl-hnk-dst; James Chater, “Naveed Akram charged with 15 counts of murder over Bondi shooting,” BBC News, December 18, 2025, https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c98nm1ry38jo/; Mirna Alsharif, Kate Reilly, and Yuliya Talmazan, “What we know about the victims of the Bondi Beach shooting in Australia,” NBC News, last updated December 18, 2025, https://www.nbcnews.com/world/australia/bondi-beach-shooting-victims-australia-hanukkah-attack-rcna249203.

In 2019, Akram enrolled for one year at the Al Murad Institute in Sydney, where he studied Quran recitation and Arabic. He also took on an apprenticeship as a bricklayer.Nino Bucci, Jordyn Beazley, and Ariel Bogle, “The quiet bricklayer, his father and a leave of absence: the duo accused of killing 15 people in Bondi,” Guardian (London), December 15, 2025, https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/dec/17/bondi-beach-terror-attack-duo-accused-of-killing-15-people-sajid-naveed-akram-ntwnfb; Sean Rubinsztein-Dunlop, Anton Rose, Josh Robertson and Emily Baker, “ASIO examined Bondi Beach gunman Naveed Akram in 2019 for close ties to Islamic State cell,” Australian Broadcasting Company, December 14, 2025, https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-15/bondi-beach-attack-gunmen-father-and-son/106142630. In June 2019, Akram worked alongside young men performing dawah, a form of Islamic proselytization, outside of Sydney’s Bankstown train station.Sean Rubinsztein-Dunlop, Michael Workman, and Olivia Caisley, “Bondi Beach shooting gunman Naveed Akram was follower of pro-Islamic State preacher Wisam Haddad,” Australia Broadcasting Corporation, December 15, 2025, https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-16/video-shows-bondi-beach-shooting-gunman-preaching-islam-to-teens/106145626. In October 2019, Australia’s domestic intelligence agency, the Australian Security Intelligence Organization (ASIO), began monitoring Akram and his father upon discovering their association to an ISIS cell in Sydney. According to the investigation, Akram and his father showed “no indication of radicalization.”Jessie Yeung, Sandi Sidhu, Jinky Jorgio, and Todd Symons, “Bondi terror suspects driven by ‘Islamic State ideology,’ recently traveled to Philippine island wracked by extremism,” CNN, December 16, 2025, https://edition.cnn.com/2025/12/16/australia/bondi-beach-shooting-suspects-intl-hnk-dst. The investigation did not result in the duo’s placement on a terrorism watchlist, nor were they prevented from the legal acquisition of firearms.Nino Bucci, Jordyn Beazley, and Ariel Bogle, “The quiet bricklayer, his father and a leave of absence: the duo accused of killing 15 people in Bondi,” Guardian (London), December 15, 2025, https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/dec/17/bondi-beach-terror-attack-duo-accused-of-killing-15-people-sajid-naveed-akram-ntwnfb; Sean Rubinsztein-Dunlop, Michael Workman, and Olivia Caisley, “Bondi Beach shooting gunman Naveed Akram was follower of pro-Islamic State preacher Wisam Haddad,” Australia Broadcasting Corporation, December 15, 2025, https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-16/video-shows-bondi-beach-shooting-gunman-preaching-islam-to-teens/106145626.

The pro-ISIS cell at the center of the ASIO investigation was headed by Wisam Haddad, a cleric at the Al Madina Dawah Centre in Bankstown. Akram attended the Centre and proselytized Haddad’s radical creed on the streets of Sydney. Despite never being charged with a terror offense, Haddad was notorious for antisemitic lectures and reportedly influenced generations of both Australian and foreign jihadists.Sean Rubinsztein-Dunlop, Michael Workman, and Olivia Caisley, “Bondi Beach shooting gunman Naveed Akram was follower of pro-Islamic State preacher Wisam Haddad,” Australian Broadcasting Corporation, December 15, 2025, https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-16/video-shows-bondi-beach-shooting-gunman-preaching-islam-to-teens/106145626. The Dawah Centre ultimately lost its charity status in June 2025 after a Federal Court ruled a month earlier that Haddad breached the Racial Discrimination Act in relation to several antisemitic lectures given at Al Madina Dawah Centre.Jamie McKinnell, “Federal Court orders series of Islamic preacher Wissam Haddad's lectures be removed from social media,” Australian Broadcasting Corporation, June 30, 2025, https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-07-01/federal-court-sydney-wissam-haddad-lectures-social-media/105480506. Later in 2019, Australian police disbanded another pro-ISIS cell connected to Akram and the Street Dawah network, arresting Isaac El Matari, the self-appointed Australian commander of ISIS, and Youssef Uweinat, an ISIS youth recruiter. Matari and Uweinat were, respectively, sentenced to seven years and four years in prison for their roles in the pro-ISIS group.Sean Rubinsztein-Dunlop, Michael Workman, and Olivia Caisley, “Bondi Beach shooting gunman Naveed Akram was follower of pro-Islamic State preacher Wisam Haddad,” Australian Broadcasting Corporation, December 15, 2025, https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-16/video-shows-bondi-beach-shooting-gunman-preaching-islam-to-teens/106145626.

Over the next several years, Akram and his father remained under the radar. On November 1, 2025, the duo traveled to the island of Mindanao in the Philippines, an area home to several Islamist groups including Abu Sayyaf and the ISIS-affiliated Islamic State East Asia (ISEA).Jessie Yeung, Sandi Sidhu, Jinky Jorgio, and Todd Symons, “Bondi terror suspects driven by ‘Islamic State ideology,’ recently traveled to Philippine island wracked by extremism,” CNN, December 16, 2025, https://edition.cnn.com/2025/12/16/australia/bondi-beach-shooting-suspects-intl-hnk-dst. During their stay, the duo hardly left their hotel room in Davao City before leaving the country on November 28. Eduardo Año, the Philippines national security adviser, later dismissed claims that the Akrams could have left Davao City to undertake weapons training in Marawi City, an area subject to an ISIS-linked siege in 2017.Manman Dejeto and Carmela Fonbuena, “Bondi terror suspects spent whole Philippines visit in city and rarely left hotel, staff and police say,” Guardian (London), December 17, 2025, https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/dec/17/bondi-terror-suspects-spent-whole-philippines-visit-in-city-and-rarely-left-hotel-staff-and-police-say.

On December 14, 2025, Akram and his father carried out a shooting spree on a menorah lighting ceremony on the first night of Hanukkah at the event “Chanukah by the Sea” hosted by Chabad of Bondi in Sydney’s Bondi Beach area. The shooting killed at least 15 and injured at least 40 others.Helen Regan, “First funerals held for Bondi Beach massacre victims as alleged shooter is charged with murder and terror offenses,” CNN, December 17, 2025, https://edition.cnn.com/2025/12/16/australia/bondi-shooting-funerals-sydney-intl-hnk; James Chater, “Naveed Akram charged with 15 counts of murder over Bondi shooting,” BBC News, December 18, 2025, https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c98nm1ry38jo/; Kevin Shalvey, “Alleged Bondi Beach gunman charged with 15 counts of murder, police say,” ABC News, December 17, 2025, https://abcnews.go.com/International/alleged-bondi-beach-gunman-charged-15-counts-murder/story?id=128475208. The gunmen opened fire from a footbridge above the lighting, which had drawn over 1,000 people. Footage from the attack revealed that an unarmed civilian, Ahmed Al Ahmed, tackled and disarmed Akram. Akram’s father was shot and killed by police on the scene, whereas Akram was injured in a shootout with police.Philissa Cramer, “At least 15 killed in shooting attack on Chabad Hanukkah event on Sydney’s Bondi Beach,” Jewish Telegraphic Agency, December 14, 2025, https://www.jta.org/2025/12/14/global/at-least-11-killed-in-shooting-attack-on-chabad-hanukkah-event-on-sydneys-bondi-beach. After arresting Akram, police discovered improvised explosive devices and two homemade ISIS flags in Akram’s car.Nino Bucci, Jordyn Beazley, and Ariel Bogle, “The quiet bricklayer, his father and a leave of absence: the duo accused of killing 15 people in Bondi,” Guardian (London), December 15, 2025, https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/dec/17/bondi-beach-terror-attack-duo-accused-of-killing-15-people-sajid-naveed-akram-ntwnfb; Avery Schmitz, Isaac Yee, Teele Rebane, and Helen Regan, “Hero officer who took down Bondi shooter praised as footage reveals how massacre was brought to an end,” CNN, December 19, 2025, https://edition.cnn.com/2025/12/19/australia/australia-shooting-hero-officer-video-intl-hnk-dst; Victoria KimYan Zhuang, Livia Albeck-Ripka, and Thomas Fuller, “Gunmen in Sydney Massacre Were Motivated by Islamic State, Officials Say,” New York Times, December 16, 2025, https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/16/world/australia/bondi-beach-shooting-terror-attack-isis.html. Akram was taken to a Sydney hospital, where he was treated for critical injuries.James Chater, “Naveed Akram charged with 15 counts of murder over Bondi shooting,” BBC News, December 18, 2025, https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c98nm1ry38jo/.

Following the attack, police raided the Akrams’ home in Bonnyrigg in southwest Sydney, and an Airbnb property in Campsie where the Akrams were reportedly staying before the massacre. According to the Akrams’ neighbors, the family was “normal.”Sean Rubinsztein-Dunlop, Anton Rose, Josh Robertson and Emily Baker. “ASIO examined Bondi Beach gunman Naveed Akram in 2019 for close ties to Islamic State cell,” December 14, 2025, https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-15/bondi-beach-attack-gunmen-father-and-son/106142630. Naveed Akram’s mother told authorities that before carrying out the massacre, her husband and son claimed they were going on a fishing trip.Alasdair Pal, “Neighbours of alleged Bondi gunmen shocked by deadly rampage,” Reuters, December 15, 2025, https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/neighbours-alleged-bondi-gunmen-shocked-by-deadly-rampage-2025-12-15/.

On December 17, 2025, Akram appeared at his first video-link hearing from his hospital bedside. Australian police charged Akram with 59 offenses, including 15 counts of murder and one count of committing a terrorist attack. According to investigators, Akram and his father were reportedly inspired by ISIS in carrying out the attack.Nino Bucci, Jordyn Beazley, and Ariel Bogle, “The quiet bricklayer, his father and a leave of absence: the duo accused of killing 15 people in Bondi,” Guardian (London), December 15, 2025, https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/dec/17/bondi-beach-terror-attack-duo-accused-of-killing-15-people-sajid-naveed-akram-ntwnfb. The case is adjourned until April 2025.James Chater, “Naveed Akram charged with 15 counts of murder over Bondi shooting,” BBC News, December 18, 2025, https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c98nm1ry38jo/.