A man accused of one of Australia’s worst mass shootings at Sydney’s Bondi Beach last December has been charged with 19 additional offenses. Police say the attack, which killed 15 people at a Hanukkah celebration, was inspired by the Islamic State.
Initially, Naveed Akram was charged with 59 offences, including 15 counts of murder, 40 counts of wounding with intent to murder, and a terror offence. His lawyer, Leonie Gittani, told a court in Sydney on Wednesday that 19 additional charges had been filed, according to local media reports.
The new charges include 10 counts of shooting with intent to murder, six counts of discharging a firearm with intent to resist arrest, and three counts of causing wounding or grievous bodily harm with intent to murder. Akram, 24, has yet to enter a plea. His father, Sajid Akram, 50, whom authorities also accused of carrying out the shooting, was shot dead by police at the scene.
The attack stunned a nation known for its strict gun laws, prompting renewed calls for tighter controls and more decisive action to combat antisemitism. Australia has launched a government-backed inquiry into antisemitism and social cohesion, with findings due by December.