MELBOURNE, Australia — Newly revealed police documents indicate the suspect in Sydney’s Bondi Beach massacre that left 15 dead had undergone coordinated firearms training with his father and recorded a video outlining their purported justification for the attack, according to Australian Broadcasting Corp. reports.
The disturbing details emerged Monday following Naveed Akram’s video court appearance from a Sydney medical facility. The 24-year-old suspect and his 50-year-old father, Sajid Akram, allegedly prepared for their December 14 assault through tactical exercises conducted in New South Wales outside metropolitan Sydney.
Court documents reveal the attackers employed four improvised explosive devices during their targeting of a Jewish gathering at Bondi Beach. Fortunately, none of the devices detonated, preventing further casualties. The failed explosive attempt preceded the shooting rampage that would claim numerous lives.
Law enforcement confronted the perpetrators during the attack, resulting in Sajid Akram’s death at the scene and his son sustaining injuries. The younger Akram now faces extensive legal consequences with 59 criminal charges leveled against him, including 15 counts of murder and a terrorism-related charge.
The New South Wales court media unit has not yet released the official statement of facts to the public, but the ABC report provides the first comprehensive look at the planning and motivations behind one of Australia’s deadliest attacks in recent years.