Australian police have revealed that homemade bombs were thrown at a crowd at Bondi Beach moments before a deadly mass shooting, but failed to explode, according to court documents released on Monday.

The new details emerged as the nation continues to grapple with the aftermath of the December 14 attack during a Jewish Hanukkah celebration, in which 15 people were killed and dozens injured. The incident has shocked Australia and intensified debates over gun control, extremism and antisemitism.

bondi beach

An improvised explosive device located in the boot of the vehicle CN59DR, which, according to a court document, is believed to have been used by Sajid and Naveed Akram, suspects in the shooting during a Jewish Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach on December 14, in this still image taken from a court document released December 22, 2025. NSW Police/Handout via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES. MANDATORY CREDIT. TEXT OVERLAY FROM SOURCE

Explosives Used Before Gunfire

Police told the court that pipe bombs and a tennis ball bomb were thrown into the crowd at a Bondi beachside park before the shooting began, but none of the devices detonated. Authorities believe the attackers had also prepared a larger improvised explosive device.

Investigators allege the suspects transported weapons and explosives from a short-term rental property in the Sydney suburb of Campsie to Bondi on the day of the attack. CCTV footage showed the men carrying long, bulky items wrapped in blankets during the early hours of the morning.

Those items are believed to have included firearms, multiple pipe bombs and bomb-making materials.

Months of Planning Alleged

One of the alleged gunmen, 50-year-old Sajid Akram, was shot dead by police at the scene. His 24-year-old son, Naveed Akram, has been charged with 59 offences, including murder and terrorism.

According to a police fact sheet, the pair had planned the attack for several months and carried out reconnaissance at Bondi Beach two days beforehand. Images included in the court documents show the father and son allegedly training with firearms in a remote rural area of New South Wales.

Police also said they recovered a video from October in which the men appeared in front of an Islamic State flag, making statements about their motives while condemning Zionists. Bomb-making equipment, 3D-printed gun components and copies of the Quran were later found at the Campsie property.

bondi beach

A homemade Islamic State flag located in the vehicle CN59DR, which, according to a court document, is believed to have been used by Sajid and Naveed Akram, suspects in the shooting during a Jewish Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach on December 14, in this still image taken from a court document released December 22, 2025. NSW Police/Handout via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES. MANDATORY CREDIT. TEXT OVERLAY FROM SOURCE

Push for Tougher Gun Laws

In response to the attack, the New South Wales parliament was recalled on Monday to debate sweeping new gun control measures. Proposed legislation would cap the number of firearms an individual can own at four, or up to 10 for certain groups such as farmers, and ban the public display of terror symbols.

Although Australia already has some of the world’s strictest gun laws, authorities say the Bondi shooting exposed loopholes. Police records show that more than 70 people in New South Wales own over 100 firearms, with one license holder possessing nearly 300.

The proposed laws would also expand police powers at protests and restrict public assemblies following terrorism-related incidents.

Political Fallout and Community Grief

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has faced mounting criticism over a perceived failure to curb rising antisemitism. He was booed at a memorial service in Bondi on Sunday, attended by tens of thousands of people.

Speaking on Monday, Albanese apologized to the Jewish community and the nation. “As prime minister I feel the weight of responsibility for an atrocity that happened whilst I am prime minister, and I am sorry,” he said.

Thirteen victims remain in hospital, including four in critical but stable condition. Authorities have begun clearing tributes left at Bondi Beach, which will be preserved for display at the Sydney Jewish Museum and the Australian Jewish Historical Society.