Bondi terror accused loses suppression bid

A move to hide the names of alleged Bondi terrorist Naveed Akram’s family has been rejected despite death threats and harassment by vigilantes.

The 24-year-old gunman lost his application for a court gag order over the names and home address of his mother, brother and sister, in Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court on Thursday.

Judge Hugh Donnelly ruled the orders were not necessary because Naveed’s driver’s licence, including his home address, had already been widely shared in Australia and internationally.

The move was a win for several media outlets, including this masthead, who opposed the orders in court.

Judge Donnelly said the accused terrorist’s mother had spoken to the Herald soon after the tragic mass shooting.

A 10-year-old girl was among 15 people killed when Akram and his father, 50-year-old Sajid Akram, allegedly opened fire on a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach on December 14.

“This case has unprecedented public interest, outrage, anger and grief,” Donnelly said on Thursday.

His mother and siblings had been subjected to threats and harassment by vigilantes, the judge noted.

This included death threats in person, by phone and online chat, strangers arriving at their home late at night, pork thrown in their front yard and a bottle full of suspected urine placed at their home.

“(His mother) fears for her life and the lives of her children,” the judge said.

Judge Donnelly acknowledged the threats, and that Naveed’s mother and siblings had nothing to do with the Bondi attack.

However, he said any order would be futile given the names and address were well and truly in the public domain.

“This case is exceptional by virtue of the sheer magnitude and commentary on social media,” he said.

Any suppression order would only apply within Australia, with the court unable to force overseas publishers to comply.

There was also no need to suppress the workplaces and school of Akram’s family as there was no evidence that threats had occurred there, the judge found.

The accused terrorist had also failed to put forward psychiatric or psychological evidence showing his family was at risk of mental harm, he noted.

He had sought to have his family’s details suppressed for 40 years throughout the nation.

The 24-year-old remained silent during Thursday’s decision as he watched on from Goulburn’s supermax prison.

His barrister Richard Wilson, SC, signalled he will not appeal the judge’s decision.

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 their car along with two hand-painted ISIS flags.

His case will return to court on April 8.

AAP

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