Man Accused in Bondi Attack Appears in Court via Videolink

Naveed Akram, the man accused of carrying out Australia's deadliest terrorist attack, made his first public appearance on Monday via videolink from Goulburn Supermax prison during a brief hearing at Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court. The 24-year-old from Bonnyrigg faces 59 charges, including terrorism, 15 counts of murder and 40 counts of attempted murder, stemming from the December 14, 2025, mass shooting at a Jewish community event in Bondi Beach that killed 15 people.

The attack targeted the Chanukah By The Sea celebration at Archer Park, where Akram and his father, Sajid Akram, 50, allegedly opened fire with rifles and shotguns shortly after 9:30 p.m. Police investigators described the assault as deliberately aimed at the Jewish community and inspired by the Islamic State group. By the time officers arrived and exchanged gunfire, 15 attendees lay dead, including a 10-year-old girl. Sajid Akram was fatally shot by police, while Naveed sustained a gunshot wound to the abdomen and was arrested at the scene.

Court documents detail extensive planning by the pair. In October 2025, they rented a small Airbnb in Campsie as a base, where they amassed an arsenal of six firearms,...