The accused gunman, aged 24, is requesting a legal order to prevent the media from disclosing the identities of his mother, brother, and sister. These family members have reportedly been subjected to death threats following his arrest.
Tragically, a 10-year-old girl was among the 15 victims during the alleged shooting by Akram and his father, 50-year-old Sajid Akram, at a Hanukkah celebration on Bondi Beach on December 14.
Akram’s defense attorney, Richard Wilson SC, acknowledged in court today that his client faces charges stemming from what is considered Australia’s most significant terrorist attack to date.
“The public’s grief, outrage, and anger over the alleged actions of Akram and his father are unparalleled and completely understandable,” Wilson stated during a session at Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court.
He emphasized, however, that there is no indication that Akram’s mother, brother, or sister were involved in the incident.
Wilson further expressed concern that emotionally charged individuals might wrongfully target Akram’s family members in acts of vigilantism.
Some already had, he added.
The family had received death threats and had been intimidated by groups of men turning up at their home late at night, Wilson told the court.
“Are you still alive?” an unknown male asked Akram’s mother over the phone.
“We’re going to kill you,” someone else told Akram’s brother on WhatsApp.
The court was told their home had been vandalised, had pork chops thrown onto the driveway and people had driven past in utes yelling slurs and death threats.
Akram’s driver’s licence was distributed widely online minutes after the December 14 attack.
The suppression order was needed because there was a catastrophic risk that one of Akram’s family members could be killed, Wilson said.
There was also a risk of mental harm with the family living in a state of fear, he said.
While details of the family had already been published, the gag order would have a dampening effect on future threats, Wilson argued.
Akram silently watched the hearing by audiovisual link from Goulburn’s supermax prison, often bowing his head.
Several media outlets opposed the suppression application, arguing transparent reporting could be therapeutic for the community.
This was especially important due to the hostility and raw emotion felt after the massacre, the outlets’ barrister said.
“The public requires confidence to know that an (alleged) terrorist who’s affected the worst terrorist offence in Australian history is going to be held to justice,” Matthew Lewis SC told the court.
He cast the gag order as futile due to the names and address of the family having already been widely reported nationally and overseas. He also attacked evidence from Akram’s mother and brother as speculation.
He said there was no expert evidence proving the likelihood and imminence of any risk towards the 24-year-old’s family.
But the lawyer representing News Corp, Nine newspapers, the Guardian and the ABC acknowledged the Akram relatives’ plight.
“The court could have sympathy with Akram’s mother and siblings, finding they were three further people impacted by the Bondi attack,” Lewis said.
Akram has not yet been required to plead to dozens of charges, including terrorism offences and multiple counts of murder.
His father was killed by police during their alleged terror attack, which was Australia’s deadliest mass shooting since 1996’s Port Arthur massacre.
A box-like bomb was allegedly found in the boot of their car while two hand-painted ISIS flags were also in the vehicle.
The magistrate is expected to make a decision on the suppression order on April 2.
