Bondi gunman linked to IS, radical Sydney Islamic centre

2 months ago 6

Bondi Beach gunman Naveed Akram landed on the radar of counter-terrorism authorities in 2019 after preaching with a group linked to a religious centre once tied to an Islamic State cell, which investigators are now examining as the primary cause of his radicalisation.

Naveed, 24, and his father Sajid, 50, killed 15 people and injured dozens more when they used high-powered firearms to attack a crowd of Jewish families on Bondi Beach on Sunday.

Naveed Akram has been identified as one of the alleged gunmen.

Sajid was killed when police returned fire, while Naveed remains in a coma in hospital and is expected to survive.

Multiple sources briefed on the investigation into the massacre confirmed Naveed first came to the attention of authorities around the time a cell of IS acolytes was discovered in Sydney’s west.

Multiple young men were arrested including the self-appointed commander of IS in Australia, Isaac El Matari, who plotted to carry out a terror attack in Sydney’s CBD.

Sources say Naveed moved in similar circles as El Matari and the other men charged in the investigation, but was not deemed dangerous enough to warrant a criminal charge.

Sources say Naveed moved in similar circles Isaac el Matari, the self-appointed leader of IS in Australia.

Naveed was pictured preaching on the streets of Sydney with an outreach program, called the Dawah Van, which was affiliated with Al Madina Dawah in Bankstown since their arrests.

His street preaching, and his links to El Matari’s ISIS cell, landed him on ASIO’s radar, sources have told this masthead on the condition of anonymity.

The outreach program is linked to radical preacher Wissam Haddad, also known as Aby Ousayd, who vilified the Jewish community in online lectures, a court found this year.

Haddad has denied any involvment or knowledge of Naveed in a statement released to the ABC on Tuesday, and there is no suggestion of wrongdoing.

Islamic preacher Wissam Haddad outside the Federal Court in Sydney last month.

On Monday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said “the son first came to attention in October 2019” and was the subject of a six-month long investigation.

“He was examined on the basis of being associated with others, and the assessment was made that there was no indication of any ongoing threat or threat of him engaging in violence,” Albanese said.

More coverage on the Bondi terror attack

Bondi shooter held gun licence: The prime minister will propose strengthening Australian gun laws
Who are the alleged Bondi gunmen? On Sunday morning, father and son shooters told family they were going fishing
Bondi hero Ahmed ‘in good spirits’: Ahmed al Ahmed, father of two young girls, is in hospital recovering from gunshot wounds
The victims: 10-year-old Matilda is the youngest victim. What we know about the Bondi terror victims so far

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