A father and son have been identified as the primary suspects behind a deadly attack on members of the Jewish community at Australia’s Bondi Beach, police said.
On Sunday, the two reportedly opened fire on people who had gathered in the Sydney suburb to mark the first day of Hanukkah, killing at least 15 and injuring dozens more. The Queensland Police Service said the attack was being treated as an act of terrorism.
Police identified the suspects as Sajid Akram and his son, Naveed Akram. New South Wales Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon told reporters that Sajid Akram was killed at the scene, while Naveed is in “critical but stable condition” and remains in hospital. He added that the father legally owned six firearms.
The Bondi Beach terrorists have been identified as Naveed and Sajid Akram, a father-son duo.
Investigators say the pair had pledged allegiance to Islamic State, were previously known to counter-terrorism authorities, and an IS flag was found in their vehicle. Six legally… pic.twitter.com/68hXcQx4x2
— AF Post (@AFpost) December 15, 2025
“There was little knowledge of either of these men by the authorities,” Lanyon said.
Australia’s public broadcaster ABC reported that counterterrorism investigators believe the Akrams had pledged allegiance to Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS).
The terrorist group’s flag was reportedly found in their car.
The second shooter has been identified as the 50-year-old father of Naveed Akram (the shooter who was identified earlier today). The father’s name is Sajid Akram and he was in Australia on a tourist visa. They are from Pakistan. The father had a license for 6 firearms, all of… pic.twitter.com/5w7vs39jrC
— Adam Milstein (@AdamMilstein) December 14, 2025
According to the network, Australia’s domestic intelligence agency ASIO investigated Naveed Akram six years ago over his ties to IS sympathizer Isaac El Matari, who was arrested in 2019 for planning a terrorist attack and later sentenced to prison.
ASIO chief Mike Burgess confirmed that one of the suspects was known to the agency, but “not in an immediate-threat perspective.”
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the shooting as “an evil act of antisemitism and terrorism that has struck the heart of our nation.”
“An attack on Jewish Australians is an attack on every Australian,” he added.
Israeli officials and Jewish groups have previously accused Australia of demonizing Israel over the war in Gaza and of not doing enough to combat antisemitism.