The commission of inquiry formed after the attack in December on Sydney’s Bondi beach recommended this Thursday that Australia review the functioning of anti-terrorism units and strengthen security during Jewish community events.
The recommendations are part of the conclusions presented in a preliminary report by retired judge Virginia Bell, who chairs the royal commission of inquiry into the attack that left 15 people dead during a gathering for the Jewish festival of Hanukkah.
The reformulation of counter-terrorism units “should focus on command structures, team integration, access to systems, as well as information sharing modalities“, states the document.
The police must consider strengthening safety devices during Jewish celebrations “with a public dimension”, it adds.
Naveed Akram e o pai, Sajid Akramkilled by the police during the attack, are accused of having fired for around ten minuteson December 14, against a crowd gathered to celebrate the Jewish festival of Hanukkah, causing 15 deaths.
Naveed Akram was accused of terrorism and 15 homicides in the deadliest attack in Australia of the last three decades.
According to authorities, the attack was inspired by the ideology of the fundamentalist group Islamic State (IS), but the two men did not receive outside help and were not part of terrorist organizations.
Naveed Akram had been the target of an investigation by the Australian secret services in 2019 due to links to the EI group.
The royal commission of inquiry into the Bondi attack, the highest-level public commission in Australia, was launched in January by the Government, in the face of criticism from the Jewish community.
The victims’ families wrote a letter to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in December asking for answers and a federal investigation.
Faced with the shock caused by the worst massacre in Australia in more than 30 years, the Parliament tightened legislation in January relating to crimes motivated by hate and firearms.
The last federal royal commission dates from 2022 and had the mission investigate a vast debt collection scandal fraudulent.
Other commissions focused on dysfunctions, following cases of pedophilia or environmental protection.
