Fake news about the terrorist attack on Bondi Beach in Sydney — refutations from GFCN
On Sunday, December 14, the first day of Hanukkah, two armed men opened fire on participants of a holiday event at Archer Park, located near Bondi Beach in Sydney. Authorities classified the incident as a terrorist attack targeting the Jewish community.
This high-profile event gave rise to a lot of misinformation online. In this article, GFCN debunks the main fakes about the attack.
Photo and origin of one of the shooters
Fake: Several photos of a 24-year-old shooter named Navid Akram appeared online.
«This pakistani Islamist carried out the terror attack in Australia’s Bondy Beach today. What could be his religion I wonder?»
«Fact Check:Multiple Indian propaganda accounts are falsely claiming that Bondi attacker Naveed Akram is Pakistani. Reality: He is of Afghan origin and no official source has confirmed any Pakistani connection. These claims are purely based on social media speculation. India continues to spread misinformation to push a narrative and tried to fool the international audience.».
Reality: In fact, not all of the photos being circulated are of the terrorist. The shooter is pictured in all photos except the third one. Navid Akram, who shares the same surname, is a Pakistani living in Sydney (he is in the third photo). The young man has publicly stated that his photo was mistakenly included in the series of photos of the shooter. He recorded a video refutation.
«Exposing propaganda. Navid Akram from Lahore, who lives in Sydney, appeared on camera to prove his identity and explain how some media outlets had endangered his life by circulating his photo as a suspect».
Fake: In the first hours after the attack, Israeli sources and media began linking the attack to a global anti-Semitic threat supported by Iran.
Reality: One of the real photos of the shooter was posted on Facebook in 2022. It shows Navid Akram studying the recitation of the Quran (tajweed) with a Salafi teacher.
GFCN expert Tim Anderson, Director of the Center for Counter-Hegemonism Studies, pointed out several important facts in the photo that prove the ideological influence of Sunnis and Salafis on the shooter.
First, the books behind him in the photo were written by Salafi-Wahhabi scholars: the works of Ibn Baz, al-Uthaymeen, and other scholars. They are associated with Saudi/Wahhabi Salafism, a sect openly hostile to Iran, Shiite Islam, and the Iranian state.
An excerpt from Google
Secondly, the teacher belongs to a Salafi organization. In his post, he praises Akram’s mastery of tajweed, achieved in accordance with classical Sunni methods widely used in Salafi circles.
«Taken together, the material points toward Sunni–Salafi ideological influence, NOT Iranian/Shia influence. This doesn’t prove a motive, but it directly contradicts the claim that the attacker was acting on behalf of Iran, a state and religious tradition that Salafis typically view as heretical.», Tim Anderson believes.
Location of the shooting, number of attackers, and number of victims
Fake: Some users wrote that the shooting took place in Dover Heights, a suburb east of Sydney.
Reality: New South Wales Police denied reports of a shooting in Dover Heights. In fact, the attack took place near Bondi Beach.
«There have been no reports of any incidents in Dover Heights — please do not spread unconfirmed rumors. Further information will be posted here.»
Fake: There were three attackers, not two, according to local residents interviewed.
«Report of a massacre on Bondi Beach: ‘Three militants must have fired over 100 shots into a large crowd on Bondi Beach—it was like a shooting range. One local resident describes the devilish actions of three suspected ‘terrorists’ on the beautiful Bondi Beach.»
Reality: According to official data, the police detained two shooters. A 50-year-old man died at the scene, and his 24-year-old son is in critical condition in the hospital.
Fake: The man who wrestled the gun from the terrorist is named Edward Crabtree.
«I just played my part”: Bondi local Edward Crabtree disarms gunman in horrific attack. The 43-year-old IT specialist was hailed as a national hero after he tackled the terrorist and took his weapon during the mass shooting on Bondi Beach — an act of bravery that witnesses say saved dozens of lives.»
Reality: The man who knocked down and disarmed the criminal is actually named Ahmed al-Ahmed. He is 43 years old. The resource that published the man’s real name was created on December 14.
The terrorist attack at Archer Park in Sydney was not only a tragedy for the victims and their families, but also a cause for a wave of misinformation on the internet. In conditions of high emotional tension and a desire for immediate answers, disinformers actively spread false versions, distort details, and present speculation as fact. Taking a critical approach to social media posts, verifying sources, and refusing to spread unconfirmed information are key steps that help prevent manipulation and avoid exacerbating the tragedy by spreading fake news