Alleged Bondi Beach shooter Naveed Akram has fronted court for the first time, breaking his silence on Australia’s deadliest terror attack.
Appearing before Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court via video link from Goulburn Supermax prison, Akram was accused of carrying out a shooting at a Hanukkah Bondi Beach celebration on December 14, resulting in the deaths of 15 people and leaving 40 more injured.
Akram’s father, 50-year-old Sajid Akram, was shot dead by police during the shooting.
The 24-year-old faces 59 charges, including 15 counts of murder and one count of committing a terrorist attack in relation to the December shooting.
According to The Sydney Morning Herald, the high-profile hearing was brief, with suppression orders safeguarding victims and survivors extended, and timelines for the exchange of evidence addressed.
Akram — appearing in a dark prison jumper — replied “Yeah” when asked if he had heard about the discussion.
This is the first time the alleged shooter has been seen and heard since the attack.
The link was then “quickly terminated”, with the matter returning to court in March for another administrative hearing.
Per ABC News, Akram’s lawyer Ben Archbold told reporters that it was “too early” to share what plea the alleged shooter would be entering and that he’s yet to receive the brief of evidence.
When asked if Akram had spoken with police, Archbold said, “All we’ve done is start the process, we’re waiting for the brief to be served, there’s nothing more I can say”.
Archbold also confirmed he had visited Akram in person at the supermax prison.
According to court documents obtained by the SMH after the alleged shooter’s arrest, Akram and his father are accused of renting a hideout in Campsie in October to plan their attack.
While staying at the Airbnb, the duo allegedly recorded a video of themselves alongside four long-arm guns with ammunition rounds in front of an image of an Islamic State flag.
Per the publication, in the video, Akram appeared to have read a passage from the Quran in Arabic before both men allegedly spoke about their reasoning behind the Bondi attack in English.
“[They] appear to summarise their justification for the Bondi terrorist attack,” the allegation states in a police fact sheet released by the NSW Local Court in December.
The fact sheet also claimed that the father and son duo had amassed six guns, and police allege they made three pipe bombs, one tennis ball bomb and one large IED.
Akram is due to appear in court on April 9.
Image source: 9News.
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