Naveed Akram, the gunman accused of conducting the devastating Bondi Beach attack, spoke briefly as he appeared in the court for the first time in Sydney
Naveed Akram, the gunman accused of conducting the devastating Bondi Beach attack, spoke briefly as he appeared in the court for the first time in Sydney. According to the Australian Associated Press, the 24-year-old appeared via video link in the Downing Centre local court on Monday morning.
He is facing 59 charges, including murder and terrorism offences, over the Bondi Beach shooting. Akram has been accused of carrying out Australia’s deadliest terror attack on 14 December when 15 people were killed, and 40 were injured during a beachside Hanukkah celebration.
His father, 50-year-old Sajid Akram, was shot dead by police at the scene of the Sunday evening attack. During the Monday court appearance, Akram spoke after a magistrate continued suppression orders protecting victims and survivors of the attack who have not chosen to identify themselves publicly.
“Did you just hear what I just said?” the deputy chief magistrate, Sharon Freund, asked. Akram replied: “Yeah.” Meanwhile, his Legal Aid solicitor, Ben Archibold, later asked for time to speak with his client. “Mr Akram, your solicitor is going to give you a call after,” the magistrate said. “Yep,” the accused terrorist replied. These were the only two words Akram spoke during the hearing.
How it went down
According to the Australian Associated Press, Akram was dressed in a green prison-issued jumper. He placed his hands in his lap as he listened to the brief hearing. The suspect’s hair was freshly shaven, but he continued to sport the full-faced short beard he had during the mass shooting.
It is pertinent to note that he and his father were accused of carrying out Australia’s worst mass shooting since 1996 by targeting the Jewish festival of lights. After they parked near a footbridge on Campbell Parade, the two men tossed three pipe bombs filled with steel ball bearings and a “tennis ball bomb” into the Hanukkah celebration at Archer Park before opening fire.
After the incident, the authorities noted that none of the pipe bombs detonated, despite preliminary police analysis finding they were viable. A box-like bomb was allegedly found in the boot of the car, while the two o hand-painted Islamic State flags were also in the vehicle. Akram is next due to appear in court on April 9.
With inputs from The Associated Press.
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