The Aussie ISIS terrorist linked to alleged Bondi Beach gunman

One of the alleged Bondi Beach gunmen was a known associate of the ISIS terrorist Isaac El Matari who became eligible to walk free from prison earlier this year.

Naveed Akram, 24, and his father Sajid, 50, allegedly killed 15 people and injured 40 others after opening fire on a Jewish Hanukkah celebration on Sunday night.

The older alleged gunman was shot dead by police at the scene while his son was taken to hospital with critical injuries.  

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese revealed on Monday that Naveed Akram was investigated by ASIO in 2019 because of his involvement with 'individuals of concern'.

The six-month-long probe ultimately ruled he did not appear to pose an ongoing threat. 

Now, it has been revealed he was investigated because of his connection to the hate-preaching influencer El Matari, 26, who was arrested in July 2019 for being a member of Islamic State and planning a terrorist act. 

On Tuesday the PM admitted: 'It would appear that there is evidence that this was inspired by a terrorist organisation, by ISIS. 

'Some of the evidence which is being procured, including the presence of Islamic State flags in the vehicle that has been seized, are part of that.'

He added: '[The] radical, perversion of Islam is absolutely a problem. It is something that has been identified globally as a problem as well. 

'ISIS created an evil ideology that has been called out, not just by the Australian government but globally right now.'

Counterterrorism officials also discovered during the ASIO probe that Naveed was a follower of pro-Islamic State preacher Wisam Haddad, the ABC reports. 

Mr Haddad is a religious leader with longstanding ties to Australian terrorists and foreign jihadist leaders. 

He has been closely watched by ASIO for years but has never been charged with a terrorism offence. 

In a statement provided by his lawyer, Mr Haddad told the ABC he 'vehemently denies any knowledge of or involvement in the shootings that took place at Bondi Beach'. 

Meanwhile, the AFP began monitoring El Matari - who was exposed to radicalised beliefs by peers from about the age of 15 -  after he returned to Australia in 2018 from Lebanon, where he had spent nine months in jail for attempting to join IS.

He then began plotting to set up an IS insurgency in Australia and discussed vague plans for a terrorist attack in the country.

El Matari pleaded guilty to doing an act in preparation for a terrorist act and preparing to enter Afghanistan for the purpose of hostile activity. 

However, during his Supreme Court hearing in 2021, Justice Peter Garling said that while El Matari held 'grandiose ideas', he only had 'generalised plans' and the risk of his terror plot being put into action was 'very low'. 

'In my assessment, the offender did a lot of talking and took little action,' the judge said at the time.

'The offender had grandiose ideas of undertaking some enterprise to establish IS in Australia, with the equally grandiose idea that he would be the head of it.'

'As his multiple conversations show, he had not the slightest idea how that was to be achieved.'

El Matari was jailed for seven years and four months with a non-parole period of five and a half years. 

The prison term was backdated to his arrest, making him eligible for parole in January this year.

However, the Daily Mail understands he was not released and still remains in custody. 

The concerning revelations come as a video has surfaced showing Naveed preaching Islamic beliefs to schoolboys outside a Sydney train station in 2019. 

In the clip, which was posted online, the then 17-year-old discussed the pillars of his religion and urged members of the public to make time for prayer.  

‘We have to remember to always pray and fulfil our obligation to Allah, because this is a right that Allah gave us all our limbs - our hands, our eyes, our nose - and if we don’t pray and obey him we are stealing from Allah, we are stealing his right,' Akram said in the clip.

‘Law of Allah is that we obey him and whatever he says we do.

'You might think “I am busy, I have to do this”, but it is more important than anything you have to do - work, school.

‘If you are busy at work or school, on your break time, go find somewhere and go and pray.'

Investigations are now underway to determine why Akram and his father allegedly opened fire with military-grade weapons into crowds of locals, holidaymakers and families at Bondi Beach on Sunday night. 

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Disturbing detail on car confirms worst fears about alleged Bondi Beach gunmen

Joint Counter Terrorism Team (JCTT) investigators believe the duo had pledged allegiance to the IS terrorist group, with black IS flags found in the car they used to travel to Bondi on Sunday.

The government has also pledged to crack down on gun laws amid revelations Sajid was a licensed firearms holder. 

NSW Police have confirmed Sajid had held a gun licence since 2015 and all firearms registered to him were legally owned. Both men were also members of local gun clubs.

Police have since seized all six firearms linked to him which were found at the scene of the terrifying shooting.

'He has six firearms licensed to him. We are satisfied that we have six firearms from the scene yesterday, but also as a result of the search warrant at the Campsie address,' NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said.

'Ballistics and forensic investigation will determine those six firearms are the six that were licensed to that man, but also they were used in the offence yesterday at Bondi.

'We will continue to investigate this matter thoroughly.' 

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Sajid Akram came to Australia in 1998 on a student visa, transitioned to a partner visa in 2001, and had since been on a resident return visa.

'One of these individuals was known to us, but not in an immediate threat perspective,' ASIO Director-General Mike Burgess said on Sunday.

'So obviously we need to look into what happened.'

The spy agency has since committed to reviewing the issue and searching for others who might be plotting similar attacks, though Mr Burgess stressed there was no indication anyone else in the community had a similar intent.

The shooting has officially been declared a terrorist incident, which will allow ASIO, the Australian Federal Police and its state counterpart to deploy special powers as it investigates the shooting.

The PM also hinted additional funding for security for the Jewish community - a recommendation of the Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism Jillian Segal - would be considered.

The two men had spent the weekend in a short-stay rental home in Brighton Avenue, Campsie. 

Among the dead is a ten-year-old girl, along with a local rabbi, an Israeli man and a French citizen.

Those who died are yet to be formally identified; however, police say their ages range between 10 and 87.

Twenty five people, including two injured police officers, remain in hospital in various conditions.

Six people remain in a critical condition, with four patients stable.

An additional 15 people are classified as stable.