Bondi Gunmen Trained With Firearms In Regional Areas While Planning Attack, Police Facts Reveal

New material shared in court has revealed that the two alleged gunmen of the Bondi mass shooting, the terror attack at a Jewish Hanukkah Festival that killed 15 people on Sunday December 14th, had conducted firearms training in a regional area where they also filmed videos about their “justification” for the terrorist act.

The police facts, which were released today (Monday December 22nd), reveal that father and son Sajid and Naveed Akram – the latter of whom is facing 59 charges – trained for the shooting in a regional area, believed to be in regional NSW.

The facts allege that imagery from the accused’s phone found videos of the pair firing shotguns in a tactical manner, as well as a video of the two men in front of an IS flag, as per reporting by ABC News.

In the latter video, the accused men appear to recite a passage from the Quran in Arabic, followed by statements in English regarding their motives for the attack that “recite their political and religious views and appear to summarise their justification for the Bondi terrorist attack,” including condemnation of the acts of Zionists.

The fact sheets also reveal allegations that the shooters threw four improvised explosive devices (IEDs) into the crowd at Archer Park where the Chanukah by the Sea event was taking place.

Although the three pipe bombs and tennis ball bombs didn’t go off, police stated that they were “viable” devices.

Other details revealed about Bondi shooters

This fact sheet also reports that the two men scouted out the park two days before the attack on Friday December 12th, where they exited their vehicle and walked along the footbridge that would become the epicentre of their attack on the day. Police are alleging that this is evidence of reconnaissance and the planning of a terrorist act.

In recent days, it has also been revealed that Sajid and Naveed Akram took a trip to the Philippines earlier this year in November. Very little is currently known about their trip: previous speculation that they went to train at Islamic State East Asia (ISEA) camps have been called into question considering the two men reportedly rarely left their room at Davao City’s GV Hotel, The Daily Telegraph reports.

Additionally, reporting by 7NEWS states that Sajid Akram’s wife wants “nothing to do with him”, and that she has signed his body over to the government for a destitute burial.

Government currently reconvening to assess gun and protest laws

Meanwhile, the NSW Government is currently reconvening for two days to vote on proposed new laws about firearm ownership, the banning of Islamic terrorist symbols and the restriction of protests.

These laws, which are expected to pass, would seek to limit the amount of firearms a single person can own to 4, or 10 for certain groups like farmers. Currently, there is no firearm limit in NSW for the amount of weapons a single person can own.

The amended changes are also seeking to expand police powers in regards to protests, such as being able to ban protests for up to three months after a terrorist attack and remove face coverings. It also seeks to criminalise certain phrases, such as “globalise the intifada.”

Many aspects of these changes have been criticised. The Coalition are split on the bill as they oppose the gun laws, while justice spokesperson for the Greens Sue Higginson has described the anti-protest laws as “draconian” and “authoritarian.”