Inquiry probes security, intel lapses ahead of Bondi attack

A national inquiry examining the deadliest terrorist attack in Australia's history has shifted its focus to security preparations and intelligence-sharing failures ahead of the massacre. The Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion began its second block of public hearings this week, scrutinizing the events leading to the shooting at a Jewish community celebration on Bondi Beach last December, which killed 15 people and injured dozens more.

The attack occurred on December 14, 2025, during a Hanukkah festival known as Chanukah by the Sea. The alleged perpetrators, father and son Sajid and Naveed Akram, opened fire on the crowd. Sajid Akram, 50, was shot and killed by police at the scene. His son, Naveed Akram, 24, was injured and remains before the courts, facing numerous charges including murder and terrorism offences in what authorities describe as an ISIS-inspired attack.

This phase of the inquiry is examining the security arrangements for the festival and what intelligence agencies knew about the alleged attackers. Evidence presented indicates only three general duties police officers and one supervisor were assigned to provide a high-visibility presence at the...