Hanukkah Mass Murderer Reportedly Identified, Tied to Pakistan - Explosives Found in Addition to Firearms
The father and son who slaughtered 15 victims in Sydney, Australia, have been identified, with reports saying they are linked to Pakistan.
Naveed Akram, 24, was one of the gunmen, according to the Telegraph. The site reported that Akram lived in Bonnyrigg, in the southwest of Sydney. That house was raided by police after the shooting, which left 15 victims dead and more than 40 people wounded. Naveed Akram was critically injured while his father was shot dead by police at the scene.
The Telegraph report said that the unemployed bricklayer was originally from Lahore, Pakistan, according to unconfirmed reports.
Newsweek described him as a “Pakistani national based in Sydney,” citing U.S. intelligence.
The Telegraph said that based on evidence from social media posts from an Islamic center, Akram completed religious studies in 2022. Adam Ismail, the head of the Al-Murad Islamic Institute, where Akram studied, declined to comment.
Sajid Akram, 50, who owned a fruit shop, was shot to death at the scene, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.
Verena Akram said she believed her son, Naveed, was with his father for the weekend.
“He rings me up [on Sunday] and said, Mum, I just went for a swim. I went scuba diving. We’re going … to eat now, and then this morning, and we’re going to stay home now because it’s very hot,” she said.
Verena Akram defended her son.
“He doesn’t have a firearm. He doesn’t even go out. He doesn’t mix around with friends. He doesn’t drink, he doesn’t smoke, he doesn’t go to bad places … he goes to work, he comes home, he goes to exercise, and that’s it,” she said.
“Anyone would wish to have a son like my son … he’s a good boy.”
NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon the elder Akram was a licensed gun holder in New South Wales and brought six guns to Bondi Beach, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.
Police also found several improvised explosive devices in a car near the beach linked to the gunmen.
Lanyon said one shooter was known to the police but said there was no indication of an attack.
Lanyon said the licensed gun owner had his license for about 10 years, according to CBS.
“We will look at the motives behind this attack and I think it is important as part of the investigation,” Lanyon said.
CBS also noted that the man who tried to tackle one of the shooters has been identified as Ahmen al Ahmed, a 43-year-old fruit vendor. Ahmed was among those wounded in the shooting.
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