Police allege Bondi shooters had ‘tennis ball bomb’ and made IS-inspired video manifesto, court documents reveal

A police “fact sheet” outlining the allegations against Naveed states that investigators believe three pipe bombs and one tennis ball bomb were thrown toward the crowd before the shooting began. Although none of the devices exploded, police allege they were “viable improvised explosive devices”.

According to the court document released on Monday, police claim there is evidence that the pair “meticulously planned this terrorist attack for many months”. This planning allegedly involved producing an “ISIS-inspired” video, undertaking firearms training and constructing explosives.

Police further allege that Naveed and his father carried out a “reconnaissance” trip to Bondi two days before the attack, visiting the footbridge from which they are accused of opening fire on people attending the Jewish festival.

The document states that a video recovered from Naveed’s phone, recorded in October, shows him and his father seated in front of an image of the Islamic State flag. Police allege Naveed is seen holding four long-arm firearms and reciting a passage from the Qur’an in Arabic, before both men make a number of statements in English explaining why they intended to carry out the Bondi attack, including remarks condemning the actions of “Zionists”.

Another video clip, also recorded in October, allegedly shows the father and son training with firearms in a rural area believed to be in New South Wales. The footage reportedly depicts them firing shotguns and “moving in a tactical manner”.

Police allege the pair acted together in a joint criminal enterprise aimed at “causing a person’s death and furthering an extremist political, religious and ideological cause, namely religiously motivated violent extremism aligned with Islamic State”.

The document also outlines a timeline of events leading up to the shooting. Police allege CCTV footage shows Naveed and his father leaving an Airbnb property in Campsie at 2.16am on 14 December carrying “long and bulky items” wrapped in blankets, which were loaded into a silver Hyundai. Investigators claim these items included two single-barrel shotguns, a Beretta rifle, multiple homemade improvised explosive devices – described as three pipe bombs, one tennis ball bomb and a larger IED – along with two Islamic State flags.

After returning to the property, the pair allegedly left again at 5.09pm and drove toward Bondi. Shortly before 6pm, they are said to have parked for around 20 minutes on Ocean Street in Woollahra. Police allege they arrived in Bondi at 6.50pm and parked near the footbridge overlooking Archer Park, where the Hanukah event was underway.

According to police, the pair placed Islamic State flags inside the front and rear windows of their vehicle before beginning the attack.

Following a raid on the Campsie property, police say they located additional firearms, bomb-making materials, ammunition, a suspected IED, Sajid Akram’s hunting association membership card and two copies of the Qur’an, one of which had an “earmarked page”. Investigators also allege that smartphones, a longbow with 12 arrows and a homemade firearm were found at the family home in Bonnyrigg.

Police state that Naveed’s mother told investigators she believed the pair were holidaying in southern New South Wales. According to the document, she recalled that while he was away, the accused would telephone her each morning from a payphone and discuss his plans for the day.

The fact sheet was released after media organisations applied for its publication. Naveed Akram is facing 15 counts of murder, 40 counts of attempted murder and additional charges. Police confirmed on Monday that he has been discharged from hospital under riot squad escort and has since been transferred to a New South Wales prison.