Australia police charge surviving Bondi Beach attacker as first funerals held

Australian authorities say they have charged a man who opened fire on a Jewish Hanukkah celebration on Sydney’s Bondi Beach, killing 15 people, with “terrorism” and murder charges, as mourners gathered to begin funerals for the victims.

Police and local courts said on Wednesday that 59 charges are being introduced after the deadly shooting that also wounded dozens of others, including two officers.

Among the offences are “committing a terrorist act”, murder, wounding with intent to murder, placing an explosive, and discharging a firearm with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

There are 20 people receiving care in Sydney hospitals for injuries sustained in Sunday’s shooting, according to NSW Health. That includes one patient in critical condition and several in critical but stable condition.

Two attackers, identified as 50-year-old Sajid Akram and his 24-year-old son Naveed Akram, carried out the attack using six firearms owned by the former.

New South Wales Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said police were still waiting for the medication to wear off before formally questioning the son, who was shot but survived the shooting.

Naveed Akram reportedly woke up from a coma on Tuesday afternoon. Sajid Akram died at the scene of the shooting.

“For his fairness, we need him to understand what is exactly happening,” he said.

New South Wales state police said in a statement on Wednesday that they will say in court that the man “engaged in conduct that caused death, serious injury and endangered life to advance a religious cause and cause fear in the community”.

“Early indications point to a terrorist attack inspired by ISIS, a listed terrorist organisation in Australia,” the police said in a statement, referring to the armed group also known as ISIL. The suspect has so far refused to be interviewed by police.

The Philippines said on Wednesday there was no evidence that the attackers had received any form of training in the country, a day after it emerged that the two men entered the country at the start of November and headed for the southern province of Davao, which has a long history of insurgencies against the government.

“(President Ferdinand Marcos) strongly rejects the sweeping statement and the misleading characterisation of the Philippines as the ISIS training spot,” presidential spokeswoman Claire Castro said at a press briefing.

“No evidence has been presented to support claims that the country was used for terrorist training,” she added, reading from a National Security Council statement.

First funeral held as legislation advances

The first funerals were held on Tuesday and Wednesday to remember the victims of the attack, which took place during the Jewish festival of lights.

Rabbi Eli Schlanger and Rabbi Yaakov Levitan were hailed by their family and peers, including during a ceremony at a local synagogue.

Syrian Australian man Ahmed al-Ahmed tackled one of the gunmen during the attack, wrestling a shotgun from his grip and turning it on the attacker, is being lauded.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Tuesday that he is “the best of our country” for saving countless lives as he visited the hospital where the man was being treated for gunshot wounds.

Tens of thousands of people have donated to al-Ahmed in a fundraising page established by Australians who have never met him, with the campaign raising more than 2.3 million Australian dollars ($1.5m).

Al-Ahmed was shot several times in the arm, and faces several months of recovery after undergoing surgery and having more operations scheduled.

New South Wales Premier Chris Minns told a news conference that he is calling parliament back next week to deal with “urgent legislation” in light of the shooting, before Christmas.

He said the government is proposing a bill on gun reform, with possible measures including capping the number of firearms a person is allowed to own and reclassifying shotguns.

Minns also said he wants legal reforms so no applications can be accepted for protests after “terror events”, in order to preserve social calm. A mass demonstration in the current “combustible situation” could cause major issues, according to the official.

Reporting from Bondi Beach, Al Jazeera’s Wayne Hay said the premier appears to be advocating restrictions as opposed to an outright ban on protests.

“He says he wants a summer of calm, and doesn’t want to see mass political demonstrations taking place, because there is anger and tension among some of the communities. You’ve heard a lot from the Jewish community over the past few days about how this government, including the prime minister, haven’t done enough to protect them,” he said.