Islamic State (IS) has claimed responsibility for the Bondi Beach attack in Sydney, Australia, in December 2025, in which 15 people were killed and dozens injured during a Hanukkah celebration. The group’s spokesman, Abu Hudhayfah al-Ansari, described the attackers, Sajid and Naveed Akram, as “brave lions” and urged supporters to continue attacks against Jews and Christians.
The claim, made in a sermon-like speech and newsletter, marks the first time IS has directly asserted responsibility for the shooting. The Akrams, father and son, allegedly carried out the attack using high-powered firearms. Sajid Akram was killed by police during the incident, while Naveed Akram remains in custody facing 59 charges, including murder and committing a terrorist act.
Angelo Bani, who previously led INTERPOL’s Counter-Terrorism Fusion Task Force, stated that the claim is part of a broader propaganda strategy by IS to promote “self-directed” terrorism. “By glorifying attackers and framing their actions as heroic, Islamic State seeks to encourage other radicalised individuals to carry out similar acts independently,” Bani, now with the consultancy firm Protective Intelligence Network in Singapore, explained. He added that extremist groups are increasingly relying on projecting narratives into the digital space to inspire action without direct involvement.
Mark Briskey, a former Australian Federal Police officer and researcher at Murdoch University, described the claim as “typical” of IS, noting the group often seeks to affiliate itself with attacks to enhance its profile. “Whether or not either of the shooters had any real connection with Islamic State, it’s beside the point, because both of the shooters have adopted their ideology and have clearly, in their horrendous attack, followed through,” he said.
Prior to the claim, investigations revealed Sajid Akram had voiced support for Islamic State in 2019, according to accounts from individuals within extremist circles. Despite this, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated after the attack that Sajid Akram had shown “no indication of any radicalisation” at that time. ASIO continues to maintain its 2019 assessment that Naveed Akram did not pose a terrorism threat.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported that Naveed Akram had contact with several individuals later convicted of terrorism offenses, including Isaac El Matari, who was identified as a self-declared commander of Islamic State in Australia. Following the Bondi attack, police discovered two homemade IS flags in the vehicle used by the Akrams, displayed on the front and rear windscreens. Investigators also found videos on Naveed Akram’s phone allegedly depicting the father and son with firearms in front of an Islamic State flag, reciting a passage from the Quran.
IS’s claim represents a shift from previous statements regarding the Bondi attack, where the group celebrated the massacre but did not explicitly take responsibility. The group has a history of making unsubstantiated claims, including falsely attributing responsibility for the 2017 Las Vegas hotel shooting and the Brighton Siege in Melbourne. In both instances, the group referred to the perpetrators as “soldiers,” a designation later disputed by investigators.
Levi West, a terrorism researcher at the Australian National University, explained that IS has adapted its strategy since the decline of its territorial caliphate. “You don’t need to have been in direct communication, it’s sufficient to do things like unfurl a flag to demonstrate your commitment and support to the cause,” he said. He drew parallels to the 2014 Lindt Café Siege in Sydney, where the perpetrator demanded an Islamic State flag, highlighting the importance of ideological inspiration for the group. West emphasized the distinction between ideological and operational responsibility, stating that IS primarily seeks to establish a connection between attacks and its ideology.
