Khaberni - The Australian police said today, Wednesday, that they have charged one of the perpetrators of the attack that targeted a Jewish event at Bondi Beach in Sydney last Sunday with 59 counts.
The Australian police explained that among the charges brought against the attacker were a terrorism-related charge, and 15 charges of deliberate homicide, indicating that he will appear in court via video on Wednesday.
The police had announced earlier that they were waiting for the health condition of the suspect to improve before charging him.
On Monday, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported from the health minister that the death toll from the attack had risen to 16 dead and 40 injured. The police said that among the dead was one of the shooters, while the other attacker suffered critical injuries.
Australian media reported that the attackers were Sajid Akram (50 years old), who was killed in a shootout with the police, and his son Navid Akram (24 years old), who is now in critical condition in the hospital under police guard.
The gunmen targeted celebrations for the Jewish community during the Jewish festival of Hanukkah at the famous Bondi Beach area near the city of Sydney last Sunday, and said the Australian Interior Minister that one of the attackers came into the country on a student visa, and his son, the second attacker, was born in Australia.
While the Australian police continue their investigations into the attack, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported from security sources that the perpetrators traveled to the Philippines a month before carrying it out.
However, the Philippines denied in a statement today, Wednesday, that there is any evidence of the attackers undergoing "terrorist training" on its territory.
The Australian police had earlier announced that preliminary investigations indicate that the gunmen may have been inspired by the ideologies of the Islamic State organization, noting that they found bombs and two homemade flags of the Islamic State organization in a vehicle used by one of the men.
