Naveed Akram, one of the suspected shooters at Sydney’s Bondi Beach massacre, which left 15 innocent people dead at a Hanukkah event, has woken up from a coma in hospital.
Akram, alongside his father, Sajid, who was shot dead in the chaos, is believed to be behind the indiscriminate shooting which left more than a dozen dead.
He’s now being questioned by police in hospital, according to New South Wales Police sources.
The 24-year-old was reportedly investigated by Australian intelligence services in 2019 for six months, but the case was closed as he was found not to pose a risk.
It comes after earlier today, Australia’s police commissioner said the shooters were inspired by the Islamic State.
Crowds tried to escape the indiscriminate shooting, but 15 festivalgoers died, including a ten-year-old girl, a British-born rabbi and a Holocaust survivor. One of the terrorists was killed by the police.
Early investigations suggest that the massacre drew inspiration from the so-called Islamic State, an extremist militant group which rose to power violently in 2015 in Syria and Iraq, terrorising locals and plotting attacks abroad.
Australia’s federal police commissioner, Krissy Barrett, said: ‘Early indications point to a terrorist attack inspired by Islamic State.
‘These are the alleged actions of those who have aligned themselves with a terrorist organisation.’
The father and son are thought to have travelled to the Philippines last month, and police are now investigating the trip. A senior counter-terrorism official, speaking on condition of anonymity to ABC Australia, claimed the pair had received militant training in the southern Philippines.
Homemade explosive devices and two IS flags were found in the car belonging to the younger suspect, the New South Wales state police chief, Mal Lanyon, said.
Akram’s mother, Verena, recounted the last phone call he received from his son on Sunday, saying his son told her they had been fishing and swimming in Jervis Bay around 100 miles south on the coast.
However, it is thought the pair never went to Jervis Bay, but they had rented a flat in Campsie in southwest Sydney, where they allegedly travelled to Bondi Beach from.
Verena told The Sydney Morning Herald she had no idea about his son’s plans, describing him as a ‘good boy’ who ‘doesn’t even go out’ or ‘mix around with friends.’
Hero of Bondi Beach was ‘riddled with bullets’
Ahmed al Ahmed, 43, has been hailed a hero after being injured when he crept up on one of the two shooters unleashing terror on the Hanukkah event on Sydney’s famous beach on Sunday evening.
Even more lives would have been lost if Mr al Ahmed had not tackled and disarmed one of the assailants, officials say.
The moment he managed to surprise and wrestle the weapon of the attackers was caught on camera, showing Mr al Ahmed then aiming the weapon back at the gunman, forcing him to retreat.
A second bystander, Reuven Morrison, then stepped in and threw a brick at the gunman, while Mr al Ahmed, who had not fired the weapon, rested it against a nearby tree.
But the dad-of-two was injured after being shot five times by the second terrorist. He was rushed to the hospital, where he has undergone several surgeries.
The Syrian-born Mr al Ahmed told TRT in Arabic while recovering in pain that he appreciated the ‘efforts of everyone.’
He said: ‘God willing, it will be a minor injury.
‘Pray for me that Allah eases our situation, and deliver us from this hardship.’
His immigration lawyer, Sam Issa, said yesterday Mr al Ahmed didn’t regret what he did but the pain had started to ‘take a toll on him’ after the man was ‘riddled with bullets.’
A GoFundMe page set up to help the hero of Bondi Beach has raised over AU$2 million (£990,000) in less than two days.
The premier of New South Wales, Chris Minns, visited the injured dad-of-two by his hospital bed yesterday to thank him.
Mr Minns said: ‘Ahmed is a real-life hero. Last night, his incredible bravery no doubt saved countless lives when he disarmed a terrorist at enormous personal risk.
‘It was an honour to spend time with him just now and to pass on the thanks of people across NSW.
‘There is no doubt that more lives would have been lost if not for Ahmed’s selfless courage.’
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