Bondi attack suspects had 'tactical training', police say

Two suspects in last week's deadly mass shooting at Australia's Bondi Beach trained for the attack in the countryside, police have alleged in court documents, as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese vowed tougher laws against hate speech and extremism. A screenshot from a video found on Naveed Akram's phone shows his father conducting firearms training, suspected to be in New South Wales, police say (Image NSW Police) CCTV shows the Akrams carrying 'bulky items' hours before the attacks, police alleged Naveed Akram pictured pointing a firearm during alleged tactical training in the countryside, according to police documents Hundreds of lifeguards partake in a memorial event at Bondi Beach last weekend Father and son Sajid Akram and Naveed are accused of targeting a Hanukkah event on Bondi Beach, killing 15 people in the nation's deadliest mass shooting in almost three decades. Police documents released today said the two had carried out "firearms training" in what was believed to be the New South Wales countryside prior to the shooting. Pictures were released showing the accused firing shotguns and moving in what authorities described as a "tactical manner". The pair also recorded a video in October railing against "Zionists" while sitting in front of a flag of the Islamic State Group and detailing their motivations for the attack, police said. They also made a nighttime "reconnaissance" trip to Bondi Beach just days before the killings, documents showed. Australia observed a minute's silence yesterday morning at 7.47am local time - exactly a week since the first reports of gunfire. Mr Albanese said he would push for tough new laws creating "an aggravated offence for hate preaching". "We're not going to let the ISIS inspired terrorists win. We won't let them divide our society, and we'll get through this together," Mr Albanese told reporters. "As Prime Minister, I feel the weight of responsibility for an atrocity that happened whilst I'm Prime Minister, and I'm sorry for what the Jewish community and our nation as a whole has experienced," he said. Watch: Australian Prime Minister booed at Bondi Beach attack memorial on Sunday "The government will work every day to protect Jewish Australians, to protect the fundamental right as Australians that they have to be proud of who they are, to practice their faith, to educate their children and to engage in Australian society in the fullest way possible," he added. Crackdown on guns, 'terrorist symbols' Australia's federal government has flagged a suite of reforms to gun ownership and hate speech laws, as well as a review of police and intelligence services. Mr Albanese also announced last week a sweeping buyback scheme to "get guns off our streets". It is the largest gun buyback since 1996, when Australia cracked down on firearms in the wake of a mass shooting that killed 35 people at Port Arthur. The government of New South Wales - where the shooting took place - has recalled its parliament for two days to introduce what it called the "toughest firearm reforms in the...

Preview: ~500 words