TOPIC OF THE DAY:
TERRORIST ATTACK IN AUSTRALIA - THE BONDI BEACH MASSACRE
A horrific terrorist shooting struck Archer Park beside Sydney's Bondi Beach on December 14, 2025, during a Hanukkah celebration attended by nearly 1,000 people, killing 16 including a child and injuring 43.
Australian authorities classified it as an Islamic State-linked antisemitic attack, the deadliest terror incident and second-deadliest mass shooting in the nation's history after the 1996 Port Arthur massacre.
Attack Details
Two gunmen, identified as father Sajid Akram (50) and son Naveed Akram (24), fired over 100 rounds from a footbridge using licensed firearms, including bolt-action rifles.
They arrived displaying IS flags; one was killed by police, the other critically wounded and arrested, with three improvised explosive devices found and neutralized at the scene.
A brave bystander, Ahmed al-Ahmed, disarmed one attacker and became a national hero, inspiring a GoFundMe raising over $1.3 million.
Victims and Heroes
Victims included Chabad rabbis Eli Schlanger and Yaakov Levitan, Holocaust survivor Alex Kleytman protecting his wife, 10-year-old Matilda, French national Dan Elkayam, and Slovak Marika Pogany, spanning ages 10 to 87.
Two police officers were among the injured; 25 remained hospitalized days later.
A Russian-Jewish couple spotted the IS flag and tried intervening but were killed.
Investigation InsightsThe father held a gun club membership with six licensed firearms; the son, ASIO-monitored since 2019 for IS ties including radical preacher links, was not deemed an immediate threat pre-attack.
The pair had traveled to the Philippines weeks earlier, under probe for possible training. � Police raided associates' homes in Bonnyrigg and Campsie.
Government and Global ResponsePrime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the "act of evil antisemitism" and convened the National Cabinet to tighten gun laws, including ownership limits and a national register.
Vigils drew thousands; Jewish events were canceled nationwide amid heightened security.
World leaders like US President Donald Trump, UK PM Keir Starmer, and UN Secretary-General issued condemnations, with Netanyahu praising the Muslim hero bystander.
"Terrorism is fascism. Terrorism is the weapon of the weak. Terrorism is the last resort of those who have failed." – Tony Blair
In the wake of this IS-linked horror that claimed 16 lives, Blair's words remind us that terrorism thrives only on despair—let unity and resolve defeat it forever.
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