Lawyers representing a 24-year-old accused of opening fire at a Hanukkah gathering on Bondi Beach have asked a Sydney court to prohibit media from naming his family members and from publishing their home address and places of work and schooling, saying publicizing those details would put them at risk.
Police allege that the attack at the December 14 event left 15 people dead, and they say the accused, Naveed Akram, carried out the shooting in what authorities describe as Australia’s worst mass shooting in decades. Police further allege that his father, Sajid Akram, who is accused of participating in the shooting, was shot dead by officers at the scene.
Authorities have also said the two men were inspired by the Islamic State militant group and that the elder man had legally acquired several high-powered weapons that were used in the incident.
At a hearing on Monday in Sydney, defense counsel asked Magistrate Greg Grogan to issue an order preventing the publication of the names of the suspect’s mother, brother and sister as well as their address and workplaces and schools. The magistrate agreed to extend an interim suppression order until next month, pointing to the level of global media interest in the matter.
The accused faces 59 charges in total arising from the attack. Those charges include 15 counts of murder, 40 counts of wounding with intent to murder and a single terror offence. He has not yet entered a plea.
The court calendar indicates the matter will briefly return to court next week for a short appearance. A longer hearing is scheduled for April 8, when prosecutors are expected to outline their brief of evidence.
The Bondi Beach attack prompted widespread shock in a country known for strict gun laws and has intensified calls for stronger firearms controls and more robust action against antisemitism. In response, the government last month launched a government-backed inquiry into antisemitism and social cohesion, with an expected report due by December of this year.
Officials have already moved to tighten gun laws and have introduced new legislation aimed at addressing hate speech. The legal proceedings, the suppression order request and the broader political and legislative responses are evolving as the investigation and prosecution progress.