Australian Police: Perpetrators of the Sydney attack had links to ISIS

According to Australian police, the two suspects were Sajid Akram and Navid Akram, a father and son. Sajid (the father) was 50 years old and Navid (the son) was 24. Sajid Akram held licenses to possess six firearms.

This is considered the deadliest shooting in Australia in nearly three decades.

Mal Lanyon, Commissioner of the New South Wales Police, said: One of the armed individuals, a 50-year-old man, was shot dead by police, and the other gunman—his 24-year-old son—was wounded and is being treated in hospital.

Information released by the police also stated that an ISIS flag was found in the perpetrators’ vehicle. According to Australia’s ABC network, the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) had conducted an investigation six years ago into Navid Akram due to his “close connections” with an ISIS terrorist cell in Sydney.

Navid Akram was born in Australia, and Australia’s intelligence and security agencies issued a report in October 2019 regarding his suspicious connections. However, according to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, there was no direct threat posed by him at the time.

Chris Minns, Premier of New South Wales, told reporters that the victims ranged in age from 10 to 87 years old, and at least 42 others are being treated in hospitals, several of whom are in critical condition.

Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke reported that one of the attackers had entered the country on a student visa, and his son—the second attacker—was born in Australia. Burke told the media that the 50-year-old suspect entered Australia in 1998 on a student visa, and in 2001 his status was changed to a spouse visa.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said that the government is reviewing tougher gun control laws, including limiting the number of firearms permitted per individual.

The foreign ministry of the Israeli regime confirmed the death of one Israeli national but provided no further details.

French President Emmanuel Macron announced that a French citizen named Dan Elkayam was among those killed.

None of the victims have been publicly identified by Australian authorities, and the identities of the gunmen have also not been officially announced.

According to an Australian minister, the individual who seized one of the attackers’ weapons during the mass shooting at Bondi Beach is named Ahmad Al-Ahmad.

Australia’s national radio, citing the country’s health minister, reported that the death toll from the shooting at the Jewish event in Sydney has risen to 16.

The Health Minister of New South Wales stated that 40 people were also injured in the shooting, most of whom are in critical condition.