Court Documents Reveal Bondi Terrorists’ Preparations Ahead of Chanukah Massacre

Australian court documents released Monday shed new light on the December 14 terror attack at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, detailing the preparations that preceded the shooting at a Chanukah celebration that left 15 people dead and dozens wounded.

The documents, filed by police in the Australian state of New South Wales, outline allegations against Naveed Akram, 24, who survived the attack and now faces dozens of criminal charges, including murder and terrorism offenses. His father, Sajid Akram, 50, was shot dead by police during the assault. Investigators allege the two acted together in a planned terrorist operation motivated by ideology aligned with Islamic State.

According to the police “statement of facts,” CCTV footage shows the father and son leaving a short-stay rental property in the Sydney suburb of Campsie shortly after 2 a.m. on the day of the attack. They are seen carrying long and bulky items wrapped in blankets and placing them into a vehicle. Police allege the items included firearms, homemade explosive devices, and ISIS flags. The pair later returned to the property before departing again in the late afternoon and driving toward Bondi Beach.

The court documents state that the suspects arrived in the Bondi area shortly before the Chanukah celebration reached peak attendance.The men placed ISIS flags inside the front and rear windows of their car before moving into position near a footbridge overlooking the park.

Investigators say the attack began with an attempted bombing. Four improvised explosive devices were thrown toward the crowd before any shots were fired. Police described the devices as three aluminum pipe bombs and a tennis-ball bomb containing black powder and steel ball bearings. None of the devices detonated, but police said they were “viable” IEDs. A larger explosive device was later discovered inside the attackers’ vehicle and was not deployed. Only after the explosive devices failed to detonate did the shooting begin. 

The court filings also describe extensive preparation in the months leading up to the attack. Videos recorded in October show the father and son training with firearms in a rural area outside Sydney. Police say the footage depicts the two firing shotguns and moving in a coordinated, tactical manner, which investigators cite as evidence of deliberate planning.

Another video found on Naveed Akram’s phone is described by police as a manifesto. According to the statement of facts, the video shows both men seated in front of an ISIS flag, with firearms and ammunition visible. Naveed Akram is alleged to recite a passage from the Quran in Arabic, after which both men speak in English, condemning “Zionists” and outlining what police say was their justification for the attack, reflecting a religiously motivated extremist ideology aligned with ISIS.

Police allege the pair also conducted reconnaissance at Bondi Beach two days before the attack, visiting the same footbridge from which they would later fire toward the Chanukkah celebration.

Naveed Akram has been charged with 59 offenses, including 15 counts of murder, dozens of counts related to attempted murder, and additional charges linked to terrorism and firearms. After being treated for an abdominal gunshot wound sustained during the attack, he was transferred on Monday from a hospital to a New South Wales prison. Sajid Akram, who police say legally owned six rifles and shotguns, was killed by officers at the scene.

The investigation remains ongoing. Authorities are examining the pair’s travel abroad in the weeks before the attack, including an extended stay in the Philippines, as part of efforts to determine whether they had contact with external extremist networks.

The release of the court documents comes as the New South Wales government advances new gun-control legislation. Premier Chris Minns said draft laws introduced Monday would make Australian citizenship a condition for obtaining a firearms license and would reduce the maximum number of guns allowed for recreational shooters. Such measures would have barred Sajid Akram, who was not an Australian citizen, from legally owning firearms.

At Bondi Beach, an impromptu memorial near the Bondi Pavilion was removed Monday as the area returned to regular activity. Part of the memorial will be preserved by the Sydney Jewish Museum. Funerals for the victims continued, including services for Dan Elkayam, a 27-year-old French national who moved from Paris to Sydney last year. Health officials said 13 people wounded in the attack remained hospitalized as of Monday.