A landmark class action is being considered in the wake of the ISIS-inspired terror attack at Bondi Beach, as the Jewish Centre for Law and Justice (JCLJ) signals its intention to pursue accountability across multiple fronts, including the federal government, security agencies, police and social media platforms.
The attack, carried out by father and son Sajid Akram, 50, and Naveed Akram, 24, left 15 people dead and shocked the nation. The JCLJ has announced it is offering pro-bono legal assistance to all victims and families affected by the massacre, regardless of ethnicity or background.
The potential legal action could target the Commonwealth government, ASIO, the Australian Federal Police, NSW Police, extremist hate preachers and global social media companies accused of amplifying or failing to curb violent and antisemitic content. A central focus of the case will be how Sajid Akram was able to obtain a firearms licence and legally purchase six high-powered longarms, despite his son being on ASIO’s counter-terrorism “management” list and flagged by NSW Police for associations with extremists.
JCLJ chief executive Alessandra Steele said the attack underscored that antisemitism was not solely a Jewish issue, but a broader threat to Australian society.
“This attack shows that antisemitism is a destructive social disease that undermines Australian values and the safety of all Australians,” she said. “Our community has been warning for years about the consequences of allowing hate to spread unchecked.”
Ms Steele argued that government inaction and inconsistent enforcement had created a permissive environment in which extremism could flourish. She said the charity would be seeking information about potential failures across government departments and agencies that may have contributed to the attack.
The JCLJ said legal action was necessary to ensure accountability for “all parties whose actions or failures contributed to the murder and terrorisation of innocent people”. While not all facts are yet known, the organisation believes responsibility will become clearer as investigations continue.
The charity, backed by prominent Jewish philanthropists, was established following the October 7 Hamas attacks in Israel. Ms Steele said antisemitism had escalated sharply since then, citing incidents of doxxing, unpunished hate speech and public glorification of terrorist violence.
“A convergence of hate and systemic failures created a perfect storm,” she said. “We will leave no stone unturned in exposing those responsible — from those who promoted hatred, to those who failed to act, and those who allowed lethal weapons to fall into the wrong hands.”
