SYDNEY: Australia's spy agency was 'stretched' by threats on many fronts in the lead-up to an antisemitic mass shooting at Bondi in December, the nation's intelligence chief said Monday.
Sajid Akram and son Naveed are accused of opening fire as Jewish families thronged Bondi Beach for a Hanukkah celebration, killing 15 people in Australia's worst mass shooting in decades.
Security Chief Testifies
Top security official Mike Burgess fronted an inquiry into the shootings, where he was asked about Australia's counter-terror capabilities. Burgess said the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation had been 'stretched' by a wide array of threats, ranging from religious extremism to young people radicalised online.
But he said the spy agency still had enough resources to do its job. 'We were not leaving serious matters untreated or uninvestigated,' he told the high-powered Royal Commission inquiry. 'Again, I'd stress, we are not all-seeing and all-knowing. In retrospect, I still think that our resourcing was sufficient for the problems we faced,' he added.
Closed-Door Hearing
Burgess will later be grilled on confidential intelligence arrangements in a closed-door hearing. The mass shooting has sparked national soul-searching about antisemitism and widespread anger over the failure to shield Jewish Australians from harm.
Gun Law Reforms
Australia announced a suite of gun law reforms following the shootings, including a nationwide gun buyback scheme. The buyback scheme has since stalled as the federal government struggles to convince Australia's states and territories to sign on.
Royal commissions hold public hearings and can sometimes run for years. The inquiry is led by Virginia Bell, a widely respected former High Court judge.
Alleged gunman Sajid Akram, 50, was shot and killed by police during the assault. His 24-year-old son Naveed, an Australian-born citizen who remains in prison, has been charged with terrorism and 15 murders.
