A chilling photograph has emerged showing Sajid Akram, the father suspected of carrying out the deadly terrorist attack at Sydney's Bondi Beach, in what is believed to be one of his final images before the massacre.
The Attack and Its Aftermath
Sajid Akram, 50, and his son Naveed are accused of carrying out a mass shooting during Hanukkah celebrations on Sunday, 14 December 2025. The attack left 15 innocent people dead. Police shot and killed Sajid at the scene. The second suspect, Naveed, was injured but taken to hospital alive, where he awoke from a coma the following Wednesday.
Newly released pictures allegedly show Sajid and Naveed conducting firearms training in New South Wales. In one image, a man believed to be Sajid is seen aiming a rifle at a distant target in a lush field.
Unravelling the Life of Sajid Akram
More details have now surfaced about Sajid Akram's background. He had lived in Australia since 1998, where he started a family with his wife, Verena. Indian officials confirmed he was originally from Hyderabad, a major technological hub in southern India, where he completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree.
He initially entered Australia on a student visa in the late 1990s, later switching to a partner visa after marrying Italian-born Verena. According to reports citing Indian police, Sajid travelled back to India six times while living in Australia, for family and property reasons. Notably, he did not return for his own father's funeral in 2017. His last known trip was a two-week visit in 2022.
Australian detectives allegedly found an ISIS propaganda video inside the Campsie rental flat where Sajid and Naveed stayed the weekend before the attack. An IS flag was discovered on the bonnet of a car linked to Naveed, found near Bondi Beach.
The pair reportedly travelled to Davao in the Philippines in early November, an area with suspected IS activity. Australian authorities are investigating whether they undertook militant training there, although Philippine officials have denied any IS presence in the region and stated there is no evidence the Akrams were involved in a military programme.
Family Estrangement and Legal Fallout
CCTV footage shows the father and son going in and out of their rental apartment, located around 12 miles west of Bondi Beach, just hours before the shooting. Verena Akram stated that Naveed had told her they were spending the weekend fishing and scuba diving in Jervis Bay.
Verena is thought to have been estranged from Sajid before the alleged shooting and claims they were no longer living together at the time of the incident. In a significant move, she has refused to accept Sajid's body for burial. This means it will be handed to the state government for a destitute burial, reserved for those without relatives.
The tragedy has ignited a fierce debate over gun ownership laws in Australia. Sajid held a legal licence to own firearms and was a member of a gun club. Four guns were allegedly found at the scene, with two more legally owned weapons discovered during property searches in Sydney.
Naveed now faces dozens of charges, including 15 counts of murder, 40 counts of wounding with intent, and committing a terrorist act. The first victims of the massacre were buried last week. They included British-born rabbi Eli Schlanger, ten-year-old Matilda, and 87-year-old Holocaust survivor Alex Kleytman.
