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Bondi terrorists practised shooting and threw explosives in 'meticulously planned' attack

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Naveed
Photos allegedly showing the father and son handling firearms in a secluded part of the state have been released by a court in Sydney. Picture: NSW Police/NSW Local Court

By Flaminia Luck

Australian police believe the man accused of killing 15 people on Bondi Beach did firearms training with his father in the countryside in the lead up the attack.

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Naveed Akram, 24, is accused of 15 counts of murder and one count of committing a terrorist act over the attack in Sydney, in which 15 people died and dozens more were injured on December 14.

His father Sajid, 50, was shot dead by police at the scene.

Photos allegedly showing the father and son handling firearms in a secluded part of New South Wales have been released by a court in Sydney.

The documents also claim the pair threw four improvised explosive devices, but none detonated.

The pair also recorded a video in front of an islamic State flag setting out what they called their "justification".

Naveed Akram, who was shot by police during the attack, was released from hospital on Monday and transferred to a prison.

Sajid and Naveed Akram just after 2.00am exiting 103 Brighton Avenue in Campsie, carrying long and bulky items wrapped in blankets.
Sajid and Naveed Akram just after 2.00am exiting 103 Brighton Avenue in Campsie, carrying long and bulky items wrapped in blankets. Picture: NSW Courts and Tribunals

Court documents said police found material on Akram's mobile phone indicating he and his father adhered to what police called a "religiously motivated extremist" ideology.

According to NSW law enforcement, the footage shows Naveed Akram allegedly "recorded appearing to recite, in Arabic, a passage from the Koran".

The police statement says: "Following the recitation, both the accused and S Akram speak in English and make a number of statements regarding their motivation for the 'Bondi attack' and condemning the acts of 'Zionists'.

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"In this video, the accused and (his father) recite their political and religious views and appear to summarise their justification for the Bondi terrorist attack."

Naveed Akram is also accused of 40 counts of causing wounding or grievous bodily harm with intent to murder, discharging a firearm intending to cause grievous bodily harm, a public display of a prohibited terrorist organisation symbol, and placing an explosive in or near a building with intent to cause harm.

Sajid and Naveed Akram just after 2.00am exiting 103 Brighton Avenue in Campsie, carrying long and bulky items wrapped in blankets
Sajid and Naveed Akram just after 2.00am exiting 103 Brighton Avenue in Campsie, carrying long and bulky items wrapped in blankets. Picture: NSW Courts and Tribunals

Police allege Arkam and his father parked their vehicle near a footbridge overlooking Archer Park at Bondi about 6.50pm, placing Islamic State flags in the front and rear windows.

It is alleged they removed three firearms from the vehicle, along with a tennis ball bomb and three pipe bombs.

While the pipe bombs did not detonate, law enforcement assessed the explosives as "viable", according to court documents.

One of two home-made painted IS flags found in the vehicle used by Sajid and Naveed Akram
One of two home-made painted IS flags found in the vehicle used by Sajid and Naveed Akram. Picture: NSW Courts and Tribunals/PA
Two home-made pipe bombs that were recovered
Two home-made pipe bombs that were recovered. Picture: NSW Courts and Tribunals/PA

Investigators allege the pair then opened fire on a crowd of more than 1,000 people gathered in the park to celebrate the start of the Jewish Hanukkah festival of lights, and threw multiple explosive devices into the crowd.

It is unclear whether Akram or his father threw the improvised explosives, police said.

NSW Police said there is evidence the father and son "meticulously planned this terrorist attack for many months".

Police allege Akram received "advanced medical care" in a Sydney hospital after the shooting.

In the days afterwards, he reportedly had to be reminded of conversations with officers and that he was in police custody.

Naveed Akram
Naveed Akram. Picture: NSW Police/NSW Local Court
Sajeed Akram
Sajeed Akram. Picture: NSW Police/NSW Local Court

New South Wales state government confirmed Akram was transferred from hospital to prison on Monday, according to the Associated Press.

The massacre - Australia's worst in almost three decades - prompted international outcry and government plans to tighten the country's gun laws and hate-speech regulations.

The nation marked one week since the attack with a national day of reflection on Sunday.

Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese had called on people around the country to observe a minute's silence and light a candle at 6.47pm, the local time when the attack started a week ago.

"For our Jewish community, the pain is deep. For people across the country, the shock is still raw," he said on X.

"Together, we will fight against antisemitism in every form."

Among the victims was London-born Rabbi Eli Schlanger, 41, a father of five and assistant rabbi at Chabad of Bondi.

His funeral was held last week.

During a tearful address, his father-in-law, Rabbi Yehoram Ulman, told the congregation it was "unthinkable we talk about you in the past tense".