The mother of Naveed Akram, one of the two alleged gunman involved in the deadly Bondi Beach terrorist attack, has broken her silence.
Naveed, 24, and his father, Sajid Akram, 50, have been identified as the two alleged attackers who opened fire at Bondi Beach, killing at least 16 people and leaving over 40 others injured.
Sajid was shot dead by police at the scene, while Naveed is in hospital in a critical but stable condition and under police guard.
Naveed’s mother, Verna, was shocked by the horrific mass shooting, and revealed that her son had told her he was on a weekend away in Jervis Bay, when they last spoke on Sunday morning, just hours before the attack.
“He rings me up and said, ‘Mum, I just went for a swim. I went scuba diving’,” Verna told the Sydney Morning Herald.
She claimed he also said: “We’re going … to eat now, and then this morning, and we’re going to stay home now because it’s very hot.”
The mother was reportedly in disbelief over her son’s involvement, saying he did not own a gun.
On Monday, NSW Police confirmed Sajid held a gun licence for around 10 years.
“He (Naveed) doesn’t have a firearm,” Verna said.
“He doesn’t even go out. He doesn’t mix around with friends. He doesn’t drink, he doesn’t smoke, he doesn’t go to bad places … he goes to work, he comes home, he goes to exercise, and that’s it.
“Anyone would wish to have a son like my son … he’s a good boy.”
Naveed and his family live at a property in Bonnyrigg in Sydney’s west, which was raided on Sunday night as part of a full scale terror attack investigation.
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