Bondi Beach shooters: Australian intelligence could have jailed IS-linked Naveed Akram years ago, but he walked because...

Many Sydney men were picked up for their alleged links to a self-declared commander of the Islamic State by the ASIO, but there was not enough evidence to confirm that Naveed Akram was a threat

australian-police A pro-Palestinian supporter is escorted by police from the Bondi Beach area in Sydney | AFP

ASIO, Australia's internal intelligence agency, had investigated one of the Bondi Beach shooters six years ago over his ties to a Sydney-based Islamic State (IS) cell.

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It was Naveed Akram, the 24-year-old who is undergoing treatment, who came under ASIO's radar while he was still a teenager after the police managed to foil an IS-linked terrorist attack plan, ABC News said in a report. However, it was not immediately revealed what was his role in the failed terror plot and if he was arrested. He was investigated for around six months for his alleged ties with a jailed Australian IS commander before being let go, the report said. Back then, there was no evidence that showed his plan to execute such a sinister attack and he was young when compared to several Sydney men arrested for their IS affiliation, the report said.

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"One of these individuals was known to us, but not in an immediate-threat perspective, so we need to look into what happened here," ABC quoted ASIO director-general Mike Burgess as saying on Sunday.

At the Bondi Beach, at least two Islamic State flags were recovered from their cars after Naveed Akram and his father Sajid Akram (50) targeted a Hanukkah gathering. Sajid died on the spot after law enforcement returned fire while Naveed remains in the hospital.

Police teams on Sunday night raided their home in Bonnyrigg, in south-west Sydney, as well as an Airbnb property in Campsie where the father-son duo stayed, the ABC report said.

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Meanwhile, the number of victims went up to fifteen with a child, a holocaust survivor and two rabbis named among the victims. A Joint Counter Terrorism Team (JCTT) comprising the ASIO, NSW Police, the Australian Federal Police and the NSW Crime Commission is heading the investigation.

Some 40 people were taken to hospital, including two police and four children. Police say the attack was carried out by a father and son, and their victims' ages ranged from 10 to 87. The 50-year-old alleged gunman was killed by police. Following are details of those killed.