The Faces Behind Australia’s Antisemitic Attacks

A string of antisemitic attacks in Australia has culminated in one of the nation’s deadliest terrorist incidents in decades — a mass shooting at a Jewish Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach in Sydney on December 14, 2025. Authorities have identified the main suspects and linked several other incidents to rising antisemitic activity across the country. TIME+1

Bondi Beach Massacre: Father and Son Identified

Australian police and federal officials have identified the alleged perpetrators of the Bondi Beach massacre as a father-and-son duo: 50-year-old Sajid Akram and his 24-year-old son, Naveed Akram. The attack targeted a crowd attending a “Chanukah by the Sea” event, killing at least 15 people and injuring dozens more. TIME

According to law enforcement sources, the pair were allegedly inspired by Islamic State-style extremist ideology. Investigators discovered ISIS flags and improvised explosive devices in the suspects’ vehicle, suggesting ideological motivations beyond a mere hate crime. One attacker was killed by police, and the younger Akram was critically wounded and taken into custody. News.com.au+1

Officials say the attack stands as Australia’s worst mass shooting in nearly three decades and has been formally investigated as an act of terrorism targeting the Jewish community. News.com.au

Broader Antisemitic Activity and Other Arrests

The Bondi massacre is not an isolated incident. In 2025 and late 2024, Australian authorities have also pursued suspects linked to other antisemitic crimes:

• In August 2025, the Victorian Joint Counter Terrorism Team (JCTT) charged a 20-year-old man alleged to have been involved in the arson attack on the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne. Police seized electronic devices as part of an ongoing investigation into the coordinated attack. Australian Federal Police

• Earlier in February 2025, two men — Adam Edward Moule and Leon Sofilas — were arrested and charged in connection with graffiti and fire incidents targeting Jewish institutions in Sydney, including vandalism of a synagogue and the former home of Jewish community leader Alex Ryvchin. The Guardian

• In December 2024, a 52-year-old Queensland man was charged for making online threats against a Jewish community center, demonstrating that antisemitic incidents have manifested in both violent and threatening online behavior. ABC

These earlier arrests and charges underscore a broader pattern of antisemitic threats and violence in Australia leading up to the Bondi attack, prompting increased counter-terrorism efforts. Australian Federal Police

Government Response and Public Reaction

Australia’s federal government, led by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, has condemned the Bondi Beach massacre and labeled it a deliberate act of antisemitic terror. Officials have also acknowledged evidence of extremist symbolism and possible global ideological influence on the attackers. CBS News

The attacks have sparked national debate about rising antisemitism, with some critics alleging that authorities failed to act faster on earlier warnings. International figures, including Israel’s leadership, have publicly criticized the Australian government’s handling of antisemitic threats. Reuters

At the same time, Australians of diverse faiths have united in condemnation, holding interfaith vigils and reaffirming solidarity with the Jewish community.