New Court Documents Detail Gunmen’s Tactical Training and Failed Bomb Plot in Bondi Attack

SYDNEY:  Shocking new court documents released on Monday have detailed the extensive planning behind the December 14 terror attack at Bondi Beach, revealing that the suspected gunmen conducted tactical firearms training and attempted to use improvised explosives during the massacre.

The documents, which were previously under a temporary suppression order to protect survivors, outline a timeline of radicalization and reconnaissance that preceded the shooting which claimed 15 lives.

Police allege that Naveed Akram, 24, and his father, Sajid Akram, began preparing for the attack as early as October. Mobile phone footage recovered by investigators reportedly shows the pair sitting in front of an Islamic State group (IS) flag, making statements condemning “Zionists.” Naveed Akram is also seen reciting passages from the Quran in Arabic.

Further evidence reveals that the duo traveled to a rural location in New South Wales to conduct “firearms training.” Footage shows the men firing shotguns and practicing “tactical movements” months before they opened fire on a Hanukkah celebration.

The court documents trace the men’s movements on the day of the attack using CCTV footage:

• 02:00: The suspects were seen leaving a rental in Campsie carrying “bulky items” wrapped in blankets, including shotguns, a Beretta rifle, and four IEDs.
• 18:50: They arrived at Bondi, placing IS flags in their car windows before arming themselves.
• The Assault: Before the shooting began, police believe the men threw three pipe bombs and a “tennis ball bomb” into the crowd. Fortunately, none of the explosives detonated.

Naveed Akram has been charged with 59 offences, including 15 counts of murder and one count of terror. His father, Sajid Akram, was killed by police at the scene. Naveed, who was critically injured during the shootout, was released from the hospital on Monday and transferred directly into a maximum-security prison.

The release of these documents comes as New South Wales debates sweeping changes to security and firearms legislation in response to the tragedy.