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The man accused of carrying out a deadly shooting at a Hanukkah celebration at Sydney's Bondi Beach in December has been charged with 19 additional offenses, bringing the total number of charges against him to 78, according to the Australian Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions and court records reported by multiple outlets.

Naveed Akram, 24, was already facing 59 charges, including 15 counts of murder and 40 counts of attempted murder, in connection with the December 14 attack that killed 15 people and wounded 41 others. The new charges were filed in April but only confirmed by authorities this week, according to the BBC.

Coverage comparison

Reports from the BBC, ABC Australia, and the Jerusalem Post all confirmed the new charges, which include 10 counts of "shoot at with intent to murder," six counts of discharging a firearm with intent to resist arrest, and three counts of causing wounding or grievous bodily harm with intent to murder. The ABC and BBC both noted that the new charges bring the total to 78.

The Jerusalem Post added details about sentencing: the terrorism and murder charges each carry a maximum penalty of life imprisonment, while the attempted murder, shooting with intent to murder, and firearm discharge charges each carry a maximum of 25 years in prison.

Key Claims

  • Naveed Akram has been charged with 19 new offenses, adding to the 59 charges he was already facing, according to court records and the Australian Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions.
  • The previous charges included 15 counts of murder, 40 counts of attempted murder, and one count of committing a terrorist act, per the BBC and ABC.
  • The new charges include 10 counts of "shoot at with intent to murder," six counts of discharging a firearm with intent to resist arrest, and three counts of causing wounding or grievous bodily harm with intent to murder, as reported by the BBC and ABC.
  • The terrorism and murder charges carry a maximum penalty of life imprisonment, according to the Jerusalem Post.
  • Akram's father, Sajid Akram, was shot and killed by police during the attack, according to the BBC.
  • The pair had carried out firearms training in the New South Wales countryside before the attack, and threw explosives at onlookers that failed to detonate, according to police documents reported by The Hindu.
  • Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced a Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion, and vowed to introduce tougher laws against hate speech and extremism, as reported by The Hindu and the Jerusalem Post.

Perspectives

The new charges were not a surprise to the defense. Outside court, Akram's lawyer, Leonie Gittani, told reporters that her client was "sort of aware" of the additional charges, adding that in a matter of this magnitude, it's "not unusual for additional charges to be laid." She noted the unprecedented scale of evidence, including 230,000 CCTV images, and said, "We've got a job to do, and that's what we intend to do."

Prosecutors told the court that investigators from the Joint Counter Terrorism Team were "progressing" steadily through the evidence, which also includes content on devices belonging to people with alleged links to Akram that require translation.

The attack, which targeted a Jewish festival, prompted a broader political response. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who announced a Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion, said the government would work to protect Jewish Australians and would not let "ISIS-inspired terrorists win." He also apologized to the Jewish community and the nation, according to The Hindu.

Akram is due back in court in August. He has made several brief appearances but has not yet entered a plea.

This article is based on reports from the BBC, ABC Australia, the Jerusalem Post, and The Hindu. Some details, such as the exact nature of the explosives and the Royal Commission announcement, were reported by a single outlet and have not been independently verified.