Australian leaders dodge questions over how Bondi shooter was licensed gun carrier
Australian leaders on Monday were evasive when asked why one of the perpetrators of a deadly antisemitic terror attack at Sydney’s Bondi Beach was permitted to hold six guns despite his son, the second perpetrator, reportedly having been investigated in the past over suspected ties to ISIS.
Pressed on whether the 2019 investigation into Naveed Akram, 24, should have raised red flags over his father Sajid’s firearm ownership, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said it was important that “the authorities be enabled to do their work.”
“That’s what we have done. I’ve reported to you accurately ASIO’s advice, including the timelines, which were done in 2019. The assessment was made because of the son’s associations that he had at that time, and the investigation went for a period of six months,” Albanese told reporters at a press conference in Sydney, refusing to expand on the so-called associations.
The mass shooting on Sunday evening targeted a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach. At least 15 people were killed in the terror attack, which has fueled criticism that authorities are not doing enough to combat a surge in antisemitic crimes in the country.
Police shot the two gunmen. The 50-year-old father died at the scene. His son remained in a coma in the hospital on........





















Toi Staff
Sabine Sterk
Penny S. Tee
Gideon Levy
Waka Ikeda
Grant Arthur Gochin
Daniel Orenstein