Naveed Akram, the 24-year-old suspect at Sydney’s Bondi Beach terror attack, has reportedly awakened from a coma while recovering in hospital and has been charged with 59 offences, including 15 counts
of murder.
Akram was critically wounded during the attack, in which he and his father Sajid Akram opened fire at a celebration of the Jewish festival of Hanukkah on December 14, sending shockwaves throughout the world and bringing global attention to rising antisemitism. Sajid was shot dead during the police counterattack.
Apart from murder, Akram will face dozens of charges of wounding with intent to murder, public display of a prohibited terrorist symbol and one charge of placing an explosive in or near a building. He has woken from his coma in hospital and is speaking with the police. Additionally, he will face court in a bedside hearing on Wednesday afternoon, 9NEWS reported.
Akram regained consciousness “only to find detectives waiting to arrest him at his bedside”, and he was “deemed lucid” by the doctors and placed under arrest, according to News.com.au. “Once he was conscious and we were at a stage where doctors could withdraw his medicine to such an extent that his doctors were satisfied he had cognitive function and was fit to understand the process we were able to caution and arrest him,” said New South Wales (NSW) Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon.
Loved Ones Bid Farewell
This came as thousands of people gathered at the Bondi Pavilion to pay respects to the 15 people who were killed during Australia’s deadliest shooting since 1996. The first funerals are being held in Australia for the victims.
New Year’s Eve events at Bondi Beach have been cancelled, the local council has announced. Scrapped events include elrow Bondi Beach XXL – an electronic dance party, which had been billed as Sydney’s “biggest party” on December 31, according to BBC.
Emotions ran high as people gathered for the funeral of Rabbi Eli Schlanger, the first identified victim of the massacre. Rabbi Levi Wolff of the Chabad of Bondi described his death as an “unspeakable loss” for the Jewish community. “”In his life and in his death, he towered above as one of the highest and holiest souls,” he said.
“We are here, raw and devastated, crying in unbearable pain, along with the entire Jewish people and all good people across Australia and the world over in the wake of the horrific terrorist attack that was perpetrated in our city,” Wolff added.
Akram’s Trip To Philippines Under Scrutiny
The father-son duo allegedly travelled to the Philippines last month, reported BBC. The purpose of their trip is still under investigation, according to Australian authorities. National Security Council assistant director general and spokesman Cornelio Valencia said the council is checking the suspects’ possible links with terrorist groups in the Philippines.
Sajid and Naveed Akram travelled to the Philippines on November 1 and left on November 28, according to the country’s immigration bureau. Sajid, 50, used an Indian passport, while Naveed, 24, used an Australian one.
