Sydney Bondi Beach Terror Attack: Father-Son Shooters Traced To Pakistan’s Lahore As IS Links Emerge

Australian authorities have identified the perpetrators behind the deadly Sydney Bondi Beach shooting as a father-son duo of Pakistani origin, marking one of the worst terror attacks in the country in nearly three decades.

Police said the attackers, originally from Pakistan’s Lahore, opened fire at a Jewish community event, killing 15 people before one of the gunmen was shot dead by police.

What did the Australian police say about the shooters?

New South Wales Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon confirmed on Monday (December 15, 2025) that the deceased attacker was 50-year-old Sajid Akram, while his 24-year-old son, Naveed Akram, survived after being wounded and is currently under police guard in hospital.

The attack took place on Sunday (December 14, 2025) evening at the “Chanukah by the Sea” event at Bondi Beach, organised to mark the first day of the Jewish festival.

Authorities said the shooting claimed 16 lives in total, including Sajid Akram. Among the victims was a 10-year-old girl who later died at a children’s hospital, while the oldest victim was 87. The incident has been formally declared a terrorist attack by police.

What does the Australian probe point out?

Investigators revealed that the father and son had earlier told family members they were heading to the South Coast for a fishing trip.

Instead, they allegedly carried out a meticulously planned assault in a country known globally for its strict gun control laws, making it the deadliest mass shooting in Australia in almost 30 years.

Who was the father-son duo?

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said Sajid Akram migrated to Australia from Pakistan in 1998 on a student visa, which was later converted into a partner visa and then a resident return visa.

His son, Naveed Akram, is an Australian-born citizen. Despite Australia’s tough firearm regulations, police confirmed that Sajid had been a licensed gun owner for the past 10 years.

What did the police raids on the duo’s properties reveal?

Following the attack, heavily armed police conducted raids at the family’s home in Bonnyrigg in south-west Sydney and at an Airbnb property in Campsie where the pair had been staying.

Investigators also discovered a vehicle on Campbell Parade containing multiple improvised explosive devices. A bomb disposal unit was deployed, and police said the car was directly linked to the attackers.

How does the Australian probe show an Islamic State background?

The Joint Counter Terrorism Team (JCTT), which includes state and federal agencies, believes the attackers had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State (IS) group.

According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, two IS flags were found inside the attackers’ vehicle, with one reportedly visible in footage from the scene.

Was one of the shooters under the Australian scanner?

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed that Naveed Akram had previously come to the attention of Australia’s domestic intelligence agency, ASIO, in October 2019.

He was investigated for about six months after police disrupted an IS-inspired terror plot, but was later assessed as not posing an ongoing threat.

Officials said Naveed had close links to Matari, an individual currently serving a seven-year prison sentence for planning an IS insurgency as the group’s self-declared Australian commander. Several members of that Sydney-based IS cell were reportedly also associated with Naveed Akram.

ASIO Director-General Mike Burgess acknowledged that one of the attackers was known to the agency but said there was no immediate threat assessment at the time.

As Australia mourns the victims, investigators continue to piece together how radicalisation, overseas ideological links and domestic security gaps converged in a tragedy that has shaken the nation.