Sydney, Dec 17, (dpa/GNA) – Three days after the devastating terror attack at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, investigators have charged a 24-year old man with 59 offences, including 15 counts of murder.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the New South Wales Joint Counter Terrorism Team (JCTT) said officers attended a hospital, where the man was formally charged with 15 counts of murder and 40 counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent to murder.
Other charges include discharging a firearm intending to cause grievous bodily harm and causing public display of a prohibited terrorist organization symbol.
Naveed Akram and his father, Sajid Akram, are accused of opening fire on crowds celebrating the Jewish festival of Hanukkah at the beach on Sunday, killing 15 people and wounding dozens.
The 50-year-old father was shot dead by police at the scene, while his son was arrested and taken to hospital with life-threatening gunshot wounds.
Naveed Akram regained consciousness from a coma on Tuesday. According to The Sydney Morning Herald, the 24-year-old refused to make a statement.
By Wednesday evening, 17 injured people were still being treated in hospital. Five of them were in critical condition, New South Wales health authorities said. It remained unclear whether the surviving attacker was included in those figures.
GNA