Bondi terror attack on a sunny afternoon left 15 Australians dead and more than 40 badly injured. Naveed Akram was the individual responsible for this horror. His track record set off warning bells regarding his capacity for violence well before that tragic day. He was charged with 59 counts of terrorism and murder-related offences. Evidence suggests that Akram started to connect with extreme elements when he was just 17. Local, state, and federal authorities failed to respond to these warnings in time.
Akram’s had direct ties to a terror cell organized by the infamous cleric known as Wisam Haddad. Marcus, an ex-undercover agent, insists Akram was radicalized. He further disclosed that Akram had shared plans to attack targets in the Sydney area with the El Matari cell members. Even with these lessons learned and continued research and investigations, Akram was taken off the KEMS watchlist prior to the attack occurring.
A History of Extremism
Naveed Akram’s radicalization that eventually led him to commit acts of terrorism began with an important first step. Ye Ye, an accomplice of cleric Wisam Haddad, brought him into a network of Islamic State supporters. Ye Ye guided Akram into street-preaching with Bankstown Street Dawah. There, they faced one of the major missions of extremists – wooing vulnerable teens to their ideology. Allegedly, this group sought to radicalize and recruit vulnerable youth into the Islamic State, capitalizing on the appeal of fervent extremism.
The deeper Akram got into this world, the more he rubbed elbows with members of the El Matari cell. This was the case for Youssef Uweinat, a youth leader at Mr. Haddad’s center, and famous IS recruiter. Though Uweinat played a guiding hand, Akram was shown in footage trying to radicalize youth, evidence of his increasing investment in fundamentalist agendas.
Marcus, the former undercover agent, said Akram’s connections to these prominent radical figures would have been a red flag right away. They requested me to keep an eye on him,” he related. “What happened on Bondi Beach was a result of a set of errors and a disregard for information.”
Investigations and Oversights
In 2019, ASIO initiated a classified investigation into the associates of the El Matari cell following the arrest of one of its members, Mohamed Elomar. One of those under investigation was Naveed Akram. ASIO eventually determined that Akram was off the violent extremism spectrum. They decided he had no plan to even do it at that point.
“ASIO investigated Naveed Akram in 2019, using our most sensitive capabilities,” – ASIO
Despite this inquiry, Akram was still under the radar in the runup to the Bondi attack. ASIO acknowledged its tragic oversight: “We assessed he did not adhere to or intend to engage in violent extremism at that time.” The agency apologized that they were unable to find any imminent threat by the Akrams.
“This is a matter of grave regret. It weighs on us heavily,” – ASIO
Critics such as Marcus have raised the questions of how Naveed Akram got under the radar. “How could someone like this have fled out of ASIO and Australian authorities’ radar?” he asked. The discrepancy between the intelligence agencies’ findings and what unfolded on Bondi Beach raises serious questions about the effectiveness of monitoring potentially dangerous individuals.
Family Ties and Additional Concerns
Naveed’s father, Sajid Akram, compounds the tragic circumstances. Perhaps most notably, he had been in contact with police and other authorities prior to the attack, as well as with Islamic State extremists. Sajid was subsequently shot and killed by police during a second unrelated incident, far removed from Naveed’s actions. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has since confirmed there is no indication that Sajid Akram was radicalized.
As president of Othman Bin Affan mosque, he has spoken out about the misrepresentation of the narrative surrounding their community. Both father and son were active members of this mosque.
“Othman Bin Affan Mosque stands firmly against extremism and hate. We don’t tolerate it,” – Othman Bin Affan Mosque president
He reiterated that had they seen any signs of extremism related to the Akrams, they would have sounded the alarm immediately. We thank them for their continued dedication to transparency. “If we had known there was any link to extremism or any threat to safety, we would have reported it,” he affirmed.
The Aftermath and Future Implications
The impact of the Bondi terror attack goes well beyond this act of tragedy. There is still a police investigation ongoing but pressure now rests on questions about whether Australian inquiries into Naveed Akram’s background were rigorous enough. Richard Walton, a former counterterrorism commander at New Scotland Yard, made a curious proposal. He hopes that any future review would critically assess past reviews related to Akram.
The complexities surrounding Naveed Akram’s radicalization and subsequent actions reflect systemic failures in monitoring and addressing extremism within communities. With many unanswered questions about the effectiveness of intelligence operations and community engagement strategies, Australian authorities must reevaluate their approach to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
