A homegrown terror act or a foreign-sponsored attack?

The terror attack on Jewish Australians at Bondi Beach remains under investigation. A key issue is whether the father and son responsible acted alone, or whether they had the support of others, including possible state actors.

Some disturbing facts have already emerged about the perpetrators: Sajid Akram, 50, who arrived in Australia from India in 1998, and his son Naveed Akram, 24, who was born in Sydney.

Naveed had connections to a Sydney-based Islamic State (ISIS) terrorism cell led by Isaac El Matari, who served seven years in jail. Authorities were aware of this link and he was a target in a six-month examination by Australia's domestic intelligence agency, ASIO, in 2019. An ISIS flag was found in the car the two drove to Bondi Beach further, strengthening suspicions that the attack was an ISIS-inspired terror act.

Sajid had six licensed weapons, all of which were found at the scene. Authorities have yet to address how a man whose son was on a watchlist was able to stockpile these weapons legally.

But an even more disturbing picture is suggested by information released by officials in Israel. Israeli security sources have told the Kan public broadcaster that the Mossad intelligence agency gave Australia multiple warnings over threats to the country’s Jewish community.