Sydney shooter failed in bid for Australian citizenship
HYDERABAD: Sydney shoot-out accused Sajid Akram had been trying unsuccessfully to obtain Australian citizenship for several years, Telangana police intelligence officials said on Wednesday. The reasons for the rejection were not known even to his family.
Senior officers said Sajid last renewed his Indian passport in 2022 and there was no evidence to suggest that he had ever travelled to Pakistan.
No Pakistan travel, no India-based extremist links
Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) had examined Sajid’s son Naveed, now 24, and other accused in the Bondi Beach killings in 2019 over alleged links to a local Islamic State cell in Sydney. They were, however, cleared at the time as not posing an imminent threat, a senior police officer said.
The officer added that Sajid was not on the radar of Australian intelligence agencies and neither he nor Naveed had any known links with extremist groups operating from India.
Hyderabad visits were personal
Telangana police intelligence teams verified the purpose of the duo’s visits to Hyderabad and the people they met. Officers concluded that the visits were personal in nature, with Sajid largely remaining in touch only with immediate family members.
They also found no evidence to indicate travel to Pakistan. The house of Sajid’s brother in Hyderabad remained locked on Wednesday, with family members’ phones switched off.
Sajid left Hyderabad for Australia on a student visa in 1998 but did not pursue formal education. He took up various jobs before settling as a fruit vendor.
“His visits were brief. Each time, he stayed for about a week or 10 days. In 2022, he stayed for a fortnight at Al Hasnath Colony, spending most of the time with his mother and sister,” a senior police official said.
Timeline of visits
Police compiled the following details of Sajid Akram’s visits to Hyderabad:
2000–01: Married an Australian of Italian descent, Venera Grosso, and brought her to Hyderabad in 2001 to introduce her to his parents. The couple performed a traditional nikah.
2004: Visited Hyderabad to introduce his son Naveed to the family.
2009: Could not attend his father’s funeral but came a month later to meet relatives.
2012: Returned to look for prospective buyers for his land and house near Shalibanda.
2016: Visited again with Naveed to sign an agreement and dispose of the property.
2022: Made his last trip to Hyderabad to meet family members.
Indian diaspora distances itself
Members of the Indian community in Australia said they had no knowledge of Sajid Akram or Naveed Akram before the Bondi Beach attack.
Speaking from Sydney, Muhammad Arshad Khan, chairman of the Indian Muslim Association of Australia, said he had never encountered the accused or their family despite being active in the community for decades.
“I migrated here in February 1998 and have been part of the community since then, but I had never heard of them before the attack. They are not even registered with us,” Khan said. “Such people live in isolation. We condemn the attack and stand with our fellow Australians.”
On December 16, Telangana police confirmed that Sajid was originally from Hyderabad and had migrated to Australia 27 years ago.
Other Indian associations said such incidents risked tarnishing the image of the Indian diaspora, which has largely coexisted peacefully with the Australian community despite recent protests around immigration.
“Violence has no place in our society, and attacks on public spaces strike at the very heart of community safety and trust,” the Indian Crescent Society of Australia said in a statement. The organisation estimates that about 1.2 lakh Indian Muslims live in Australia.
Blood donation drive planned
Community groups have stepped forward to support victims and their families. The Deccan Australian Welfare Association (DAWA) announced plans to organise a blood donation drive in coordination with the Australian Red Cross.
“The impact of this tragedy has been deeply felt across the DAWA Hyderabadi community. As an expression of solidarity and shared humanity, we are organising a blood donation drive to offer practical support to those injured,” DAWA president Mustafa Mohiuddin said.
