Australian authorities say that Sajid Akram and his son, Naveed Akram, inspired by ISIS, opened fire on crowds gathered for a celebration of the Jewish holiday in a premeditated, antisemitic terrorist attack.

By JNS

Australia’s high-powered federal inquiry into December’s antisemitic terrorist attack at Sydney’s Bondi Beach began on Tuesday.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced on Jan. 8 the launch of the Royal Commission to investigate the Dec. 14 shooting at a Chanukah event that left 15 dead and dozens wounded.

The Royal Commission—Australia’s most powerful type of government inquiry, which can compel individuals to give evidence—will be led by retired judge Virginia Bell.

The commission will examine the shooting, as well as antisemitism and social cohesion in Australia, and is expected to deliver its findings by December.

In her opening statement at a Sydney court on Tuesday, Bell said security arrangements for the event would be a major focus of the inquiry, according to Reuters.

“The commission needs to investigate the security arrangements for that event, and to report on whether our intelligence and law enforcement agencies performed to maximum effectiveness,” said Bell.

Australian authorities say that Sajid Akram and his son, Naveed Akram, inspired by Islamic State ideology, opened fire on crowds gathered for a celebration of the Jewish holiday in a premeditated, antisemitic terrorist attack.

Sajid Akram was shot dead by police at the scene, while Naveed Akram—who was also shot but survived—faces charges including 15 counts of murder and a terrorism offense.

Because of the ongoing legal proceedings, no potential witnesses in Akram’s trial will be called to give evidence before the commission, noted Bell. She added that she plans to meet privately with victims’ families to explain some of the inquiry’s limitations.

Richard Lancaster, the lead counsel assisting Bell, said his team had sent dozens of requests to government and other agencies for documentary evidence, but the level of response “is not presently where we would like it to be.”

No testimony was heard or evidence presented on Tuesday, and the commission has yet to determine when it will next sit.

Albanese had earlier resisted demands to establish a royal commission, arguing the process would take years. That stance drew criticism from Jewish organizations and relatives of victims, who urged him to reconsider.

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The move marks a sharp shift from Albanese’s earlier resistance to launching a royal commission.

By World Israel News Staff

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced Thursday that his government will establish a national royal commission into the antisemitic terror attack at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, reversing his earlier resistance to launching a federal inquiry.

The royal commission, the most powerful form of public investigation in Australia, will be led by former High Court Justice Virginia Bell. Albanese said the inquiry will examine the nature, prevalence, and drivers of antisemitism in Australia, as well as the circumstances surrounding the December 14 attack. It will also make recommendations on law enforcement responses, social cohesion, and countering violent extremism.

The commission’s final report is due by December 14, marking one year since the attack, which occurred during a public Hanukkah celebration.

Fifteen people were murdered when two terrorists opened fire on a crowd of more than 1,000 people gathered to light the first candle of Hanukkah at Bondi Beach.

“This was an antisemitic terrorist attack aimed at Jewish Australians, inspired by Islamic State,” Albanese said. “It was the deadliest terrorist attack ever carried out on Australian soil.”

The announcement marks a sharp shift from Albanese’s earlier position. In the weeks following the attack, the prime minister resisted mounting calls from Jewish leaders and opposition lawmakers to establish a royal commission.

Instead, he announced a more limited review of federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies to assess whether they had adequate powers, structures, and information-sharing arrangements. He also unveiled sweeping gun law reforms, a move some Australian Jewish leaders criticized as a distraction from the failures exposed by the attack.

New South Wales Premier Chris Minns said at the time that “a royal commission is the only way we’re going to get the full picture” of the attack.

Jewish community leaders and opposition figures echoed that view. Alex Ryvchin, president of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, said “the failures were enormous,” while opposition lawmakers warned that a narrower federal review would fall short of the accountability required after the antisemitic terror assault.

Thursday’s announcement appears to answer those demands, formally launching a royal commission with the authority to compel testimony, examine systemic failures, and hold institutions to account.

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