Australian police yesterday charged one of the alleged Bondi Beach gunmen with murder and terrorism, as grief-stricken mourners buried the first of 15 people slain in the attack.
Sajid Akram and his son, Naveed, are accused of opening fire on a Jewish festival at the famed surf beach on Sunday evening, killing 15 people in a shooting spree inspired by the Islamic State (ISIS) group.
Naveed Akram was charged with 15 counts of murder after waking from a coma, as well as committing a “terrorist act” and planting a bomb with intent to harm.
Photo: AFP
“Police will allege in court the man engaged in conduct that caused death, serious injury and endangered life to advance a religious cause and cause fear in the community,” the New South Wales Police Force said in a statement. “Early indications point to a terrorist attack inspired by ISIS, a listed terrorist organization in Australia.”
Sajid Akram, 50, was killed at the scene in a shoot-out with police. Naveed Akram, 24, was also shot and remained in hospital under police guard.
Authorities said the attack was designed to sow panic among the nation’s Jews.
Australian police are investigating whether the pair met with Islamist extremists during a visit to the Philippines weeks before the shooting.
The Philippines yesterday said there was no evidence that the country was being used for “terrorist training.”
Mourners collapsed in grief as they held the first funerals for those slain in the attack.
Rabbi Eli Schlanger was the first laid to rest, drawing masses of black-clad mourners who spilled out of the Chabad of Bondi Synagogue in Sydney’s east.
Two young women howled with sorrow as they flung themselves on the father-of-five’s casket that was draped with a black velvet cloth bearing the Star of David.
“You’re my son, my friend and confidant,” father-in-law Yehoram Ulman told the funeral, choking back tears. “To think I will go a day without you, it doesn’t seem possible.”
The 41-year-old was a popular figure known to many around town as the “rabbi of Bondi.”
He served as a chaplain in prisons and hospitals, according to the Hasidic Chabad movement.
“This loss is massive for the entire Jewish nation, but for our community here, and for Chabad of Bondi, the loss is unspeakable,” rabbi Levi Wolff told the funeral.
Squads of police patrolled the streets outside the Bondi synagogue, marshalling the large crowds gathered for the service.
Those unable to cram inside huddled together on the street to watch on their cellphones.
“My heart goes out to the community today and every day,” Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said. “But today particularly will be a difficult day with the first funerals under way.”
Mourners later crammed into a suburban chapel for the funeral of rabbi Yaakov Levitan.
Levitan was a father of four renowned for his charitable work, the Chabad movement said.
Among the other victims were a 10-year-old girl, two Holocaust survivors, and a married couple shot and killed as they tried to thwart the attack.
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