The man charged over the deadly Bondi Beach terror attack has sought a court order to protect the identities of his mother and siblings amid fears for their safety.
Naveed Akram is facing 59 charges including 15 counts of murder and committing a terrorist act. On Monday, a brief hearing in Sydney saw public defender Richard Wilson request suppression and non-publication orders covering Akram’s mother, brother and sister, as well as their residential address and workplaces.
Mr Wilson said there was “considerable ongoing interest” in the case and that incidents affecting the family had already occurred, raising serious safety concerns.
Magistrate Greg Grogin questioned whether such protections could still be effective given widespread reporting about the case and Akram’s family. “Hasn’t the horse already bolted on that?” he asked.
Barrister Benjamin Regattieri noted that media organisations were likely to contest the orders, given the “very high threshold” required for suppression based on safety concerns.
Despite these objections, Magistrate Grogin granted interim non-publication orders, stating they were necessary to safeguard both the mental and physical well-being of Akram’s relatives. “There is – it would appear at first sight – absolutely no reason why the relatives of the accused, Naveed Akram, should have their lives put in the arena both within Sydney, NSW, Australia, and in fact as it is now – the world,” he said.
The magistrate also acknowledged that the order could not prevent international media outlets from publishing the information. The matter will return to court next week, where the suppression application will be considered in full.
In a separate move, existing suppression orders protecting the identities of non-fatal victims of the Bondi attack were extended. These protections cover injured bystanders who have not publicly spoken about their injuries or been identified by the media.
Akram remains in custody as the legal process continues.
Image: NSW Local Court
