Freshly revealed court documents have laid bare the alleged months-long planning behind what authorities describe as Australia's deadliest terrorist attack. The dossier of police allegations against 24-year-old Naveed Akram was presented to Sydney's Downing Centre Court on Monday, just days after he was charged with 59 offences related to the horrific Bondi Beach shooting.
The Night of the Attack: A Detailed Timeline
Police allege that Naveed Akram and his 50-year-old father, Sajid, opened fire at Bondi Beach around 6:50pm on December 14. The attack targeted the 'Channukah by the Sea' event at Archer Park, resulting in the deaths of 16 people, including Sajid Akram, and leaving another 40 individuals injured.
The new court documents include still images from the Campsie AirBnB rented by Sajid. These images allegedly show the father and son carrying weapons and explosives to their car at approximately 2:14am on the morning of the attack. Police claim the vehicle was loaded with two single-barrel shotguns, a Beretta rifle, two Islamic State flags, and four homemade improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
The pair were then allegedly captured on CCTV leaving the rental property around 5:09pm, wearing the same outfits they were later seen in during the attack. Further footage shows their car parked on Ocean Street in Woollahra about an hour later, where it remained for roughly 20 minutes. During this stop, Sajid is seen checking the car's boot while Naveed allegedly looked into the back seat.
By 6:50pm, the car was at the footbridge. Police allege the men then removed firearms and IS flags from the vehicle, placing them on the front and rear windshields. They are accused of firing dozens of bullets toward the crowd and throwing three pipe bombs and a tennis ball bomb into the gathering.
The chaos ended when police shot and killed Sajid. Naveed was shot in the stomach and critically injured. A subsequent search of their nearby vehicle allegedly uncovered an IED in the boot—the same compartment Sajid had checked shortly before.
Months of Preparation and Extremist Ideology
Investigations suggest the attack was not a spontaneous act but the result of extensive preparation. A review of Naveed's iPhone, seized from the scene, allegedly uncovered videos and photos indicating he and his father adhered to "a religiously motivated violent extremist ideology".
One video from October allegedly shows Sajid and Naveed conducting "firearms training in a countryside location", firing shotguns and moving tactically. Another from the same month purportedly shows the pair sitting before an image of an IS flag alongside four long-arm firearms and ammunition, reciting a passage from the Quran.
In this video, they "make a number of statements regarding their motivation for the 'Bondi attack'" and condemn the acts of 'Zionists,' according to police allegations. The documents state the duo recited their political and religious views, summarising their justification for the planned terror attack.
Further evidence indicates the pair conducted surveillance on the attack site. CCTV footage from December 12—two days prior—allegedly shows their car arriving at a nearby carpark around 9:30pm. They are then alleged to have walked along the footbridge to perform "reconnaissance and planning" for the impending assault.
Weapons and Evidence Recovered in Raids
Following the attack, police executed search warrants at multiple locations. From the Akrams' family home in Bonnyrigg, officers allegedly seized two mobile phones, a homemade firearm, a long bow with 12 arrows, and a Quran with highlighted passages.
A search of the Campsie AirBnB led to the alleged discovery of a firearm scope, ammunition, a suspected IED, and 3D-printed parts for a shotgun speed reloader and other firearms. Also found were additional bomb-making equipment and two more copies of the Quran, one with an earmarked page.
Naveed Akram remains in custody and is expected to appear before court in April. The detailed court documents paint a chilling picture of prolonged, deliberate planning for an attack that has left an indelible mark on the Australian community.
