Bondi Beach Terror Accused Faces 78 Charges After 19 New Counts Added at Sydney Court
Naveed Akram, the 24-year-old accused of carrying out one of Australia’s worst mass shootings at Bondi Beach last December, faced 19 additional charges at Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday, bringing his total charge count to 78 as prosecutors continue reviewing thousands of images and numerous digital devices seized as part of the evidence against him. The new charges included 10 counts of shooting 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. CNN
Prosecutor Danielle New confirmed the 19 additional charges had been added to Akram’s charge sheet on Wednesday. Washington Times
Akram’s lawyer Leonie Gittani told the court outside that the case was “unprecedented.” “In a matter of this magnitude, it’s not unusual for additional charges to be laid,” Gittani said. Washington Times
Akram has not yet been required to enter pleas to any of the charges against him. Washington Times
The 24-year-old is accused of opening fire on a crowd of people celebrating Hanukkah at Bondi Beach alongside his father, 50-year-old Sajid Akram, on December 14, 2025. The attack left 15 people dead — including a 10-year-old girl — and dozens more injured. Sajid Akram was shot dead by police at the scene, while his son was taken into custody and is being held at Goulburn’s supermax prison. Wikipedia
Police say the attack was inspired by Islamic State. There is no evidence the pair were directed by others to carry out the antisemitic attack, according to Australian police. CNN
Numerous devices and thousands of images connected to the Bondi Beach shooter are being examined as part of the evidence underpinning the fresh charges. The scale of the digital evidence under review explains why the charge sheet continues to expand six months after the attack — investigators are working through a large volume of material that is generating new counts as they proceed. Washington Times
The initial charges laid against Akram in December included the full range of offences arising from the shooting itself. They initially charged Naveed Akram with 59 offences in the days following the shooting, including 15 counts of murder, 40 counts of wounding with intent to murder, and a terror offence. Wednesday’s additional 19 charges bring the total to 78. The prosecution has not indicated whether further charges are expected. CNN
The attack prompted an immediate national response. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced terms for the Richardson review of the Bondi terrorist attack, assessing whether federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies had adequate processes in place before December 14. That review is ongoing. The shooting also renewed calls for tighter gun control in a country known for its strict firearms legislation, and prompted a national debate about antisemitism and the adequacy of police protection at Jewish communal events. CNN
Regional and Global Impact
The Bondi Beach massacre was among the most lethal terror attacks on Australian soil in modern history and the deadliest antisemitic attack in the country’s recorded history. Its international dimension was immediate — among the 15 dead was a 27-year-old French engineer, Dan Elkayam, whose death prompted formal expressions of condolence from the French government. The Islamic State-inspired nature of the attack, confirmed by Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett in December, placed the case within the international counterterrorism framework and drew attention from Five Eyes intelligence partners about the threat profile of inspired, non-directed attacks against Jewish targets. The Richardson review’s terms of reference include an assessment of intelligence sharing and threat assessment protocols that will be of interest to allied agencies beyond Australia.
Background
The attack occurred on the evening of December 14, 2025, during a Hanukkah celebration at one of Australia’s most internationally recognised public spaces. Video footage from the scene showed bystanders attempting to intervene — one man, Ahmed Al Ahmed, was later identified as having disarmed one of the gunmen. Al Ahmed described taking the gun from one of the shooters to stop him from killing further people. Naveed Akram was shot by police during the incident and woke from a coma at a Sydney hospital three days later, at which point he was formally charged for the first time. He has been held at Goulburn Correctional Centre — New South Wales’ maximum security facility — since his discharge from hospital. No trial date has been set. CNN
What Happens Next
Akram has not entered pleas to any of the 78 charges now on his charge sheet and is not required to do so at the current stage of proceedings. The case will return to the Downing Centre Local Court, which is managing the preliminary procedural stages before a committal hearing determines whether the matter proceeds to trial in a higher court. The prosecution’s review of digital devices and images seized from Akram is continuing, leaving open the possibility of further charges. The Richardson review of federal law enforcement and intelligence agency conduct before and during the attack has not yet published its findings.
