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AUSTRALIAN Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced a full review of the nation’s police and intelligence services following a shocking mass shooting at Bondi Beach in Sydney, which left 15 people dead.
The attack, which occurred during a Hanukkah celebration on 14 December, was allegedly carried out by a father and son motivated by extremist ideology.
AFP reported Albanese stating that his government would examine whether law enforcement and intelligence agencies have the necessary powers, structures, and information-sharing arrangements to adequately protect the public.
“The atrocity perpetrated by DAESH last Sunday underscores the rapidly changing security environment in our country. Our security agencies must be positioned to respond effectively,” he said.
The elder suspect, 50-year-old Sajid Akram, was shot dead by police during the attack. An Indian national who entered Australia on a visa in 1998, he is believed to have legally owned six rifles.
His son, 24-year-old Australian-born Naveed Akram, survived the incident and remains under police supervision in hospital. Naveed now faces multiple charges, including terrorism-related offences and 15 counts of murder.
Authorities revealed that Naveed had been investigated by the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) in 2019 over potential radicalisation but was not deemed a threat at the time.
Sajid Akram was also questioned by intelligence agencies during the investigation but was nonetheless able to obtain firearm licenses.
In the weeks prior to the Bondi attack, the father and son returned to Sydney after a four-week trip to southern Philippines, which is now under investigation by both Philippine and Australian authorities.
Following the tragedy, Albanese acknowledged clear shortcomings within Australia’s intelligence services.
“We need to scrutinise exactly how the system operates. We need to look back at what happened in 2019 when these individuals were monitored and the assessments that were made,” he told the national broadcaster ABC.
When asked about the suspects’ travels to the Philippines, Albanese said the investigation would consider potential radicalisation during that period.
“However, the reality is that they were not considered persons of interest, and that is why this incident is so shocking,” he added.
The Prime Minister’s announcement signals an urgent review of the nation’s capacity to identify and prevent extremist threats, aiming to ensure that intelligence and policing mechanisms are robust enough to prevent such atrocities in the future. - December 21, 2025
