Sajid Akram, one of the two men behind the deadly Bondi Beach attack on December 14, had been homeless and living in a series of short-term Airbnbs across Sydney for at least six months before the massacre, new reports show.Even after his death, his estranged wife has refused to claim his body. Now the government is responsible for burial arrangements, according to 7NewsSydney.
The 50-year-old was killed during a shootout with police following the ISIS-inspired attack that claimed 15 lives, including a child, and left dozens injured. His son, 24-year-old Naveed Akram, was apprehended at the scene and remains in hospital under police guard in critical but stable condition. Authorities have confirmed that Sajid Akram had travelled to Davao City in the Philippines from November 1 to November 28, just weeks before the attack. The area is known as a hotspot for Islamic State activity, and police believe he may have undergone military-style training there. Two other men from Sydney who visited the same region at the same time are now under investigation.Before the attack, the father-son duo reportedly told family members they were going on a weekend fishing trip to Jervis Bay. Instead, they opened fire from a pedestrian footbridge near Campbell Parade, targeting participants of the Jewish Chanukah by the Sea festival, as well as locals and tourists in the area. Loud bangs were heard, and people were seen fleeing for their lives.Investigations are ongoing into how the Akram men obtained high-powered weapons. Police discovered improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in the shooters’ vehicle and conducted raids across Sydney, including Naveed Akram’s home in Bonnyrigg. Sajid was originally from Hyderabad and held an Indian passport. He moved to Australia in 1998 and had limited contact with his family back home. His body remains in the morgue in the Coroner’s office as of now.The Bondi Beach shooting was treated as an act of terror by the Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese. Israeli PM Netanyahu had earlier warned his Australian counterpart of growing anti-semitism and Jewish hate in the country.