Sydney, Dec 15 (IANS) The men behind the Sydney Bondi Beach shooting that claimed 15 innocent lives have been identified as a father-son duo originally from Pakistan's Lahore, police said on Monday.

One of the gunmen, 50-year-old Sajid Akram, was fatally shot by police during the attack, while the second shooter, his 24-year-old son Naveed Akram, was wounded and is currently undergoing treatment at a hospital, New South Wales Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon confirmed.

According to police, the father and son opened fire on Sunday evening at the 'Chanukah by the Sea' event, which was organised to celebrate the first day of the Jewish festival.

The attack resulted in the deaths of 16 people, including the gunman Sajid. Police said the youngest victim was a 10-year-old girl who later died at a children's hospital, while the oldest victim was 87 years old.

Investigators said the two men had earlier told family members that they were travelling to the South Coast for a fishing trip. Instead, they allegedly carried out what has now been described as the deadliest mass shooting in Australia in nearly three decades, in a country known for its strict gun control laws.

Authorities said Naveed Akram is an Australian-born citizen. His father, Sajid Akram, arrived in Australia in 1998 on a student visa, which was converted into a partner visa in 2001 and later into a resident return visa, according to Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke.

Following the attack, heavily armed police conducted raids on Sunday night at the family's home in Bonnyrigg in south-west Sydney, as well as at an Airbnb property in Campsie, where the two men had been staying.

Police also located a vehicle on Campbell Parade in Bondi that contained several improvised explosive devices.

"A rescue bomb disposal unit is there at the moment, working on the vehicle," Commissioner Lanyon said.

Referring to the weapons and materials recovered, Lanyon said, "The types of weapons… some of the other items we found at the scene -- as I said, we have found the improvised explosive device in a car which is linked to the deceased offender," as he formally declared the incident a "terrorist attack".

Investigators from the Joint Counter Terrorism Team (JCTT), which includes both state and federal agencies, believe the attackers had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State terrorist group, according to a report by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Senior officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said two IS flags were found inside the attackers' car at Bondi Beach.

One of the flags was visible in footage from the scene, placed on the bonnet of the vehicle, the report added.

A senior JCTT official also said that Australia's domestic intelligence agency ASIO had taken an interest in Naveed Akram around six years ago, after police disrupted plans for an IS-inspired terrorist attack.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed that Naveed Akram first came to ASIO's attention in October 2019. He was investigated for about six months, but authorities later assessed that he did not pose an ongoing threat.

According to officials, Naveed Akram had close links with Matari, who is currently serving a seven-year prison sentence for planning an IS insurgency as the self-declared Australian commander of the terror group.

Matari was part of an IS cell that included several other Sydney-based men who have since been convicted of terrorism-related offences. Sources with close knowledge of the investigation said these individuals were also closely associated with Naveed Akram.

ASIO Director-General Mike Burgess said on Sunday that one of the gunmen was known to the agency, though he did not specify which individual. "One of these individuals was known to us, but not in an immediate-threat perspective, so we need to look into what happened here," Burgess said.

The JCTT comprises ASIO, the New South Wales Police, the Australian Federal Police and the NSW Crime Commission.

Addressing reporters on Monday morning, Commissioner Lanyon said Sajid Akram had been a licensed firearms holder for the past 10 years.

According to The Sydney Morning Herald, Naveed Akram was an unemployed bricklayer who had lost his job about two months ago after his employer became insolvent. His mother reportedly said he had been actively searching for work.

The Akram family lives in a three-bedroom house purchased in 2024, having previously lived in Cabramatta. Naveed resided at the home with his parents, his 22-year-old sister and his 20-year-old brother.

Naveed's mother, Verena, told local media that her son last contacted the family on Sunday morning, just hours before the shooting. She said she was unable to recognise her son from images taken at the scene and insisted she did not believe he could be involved in violence or extremist activity.

--IANS

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