The Hanukkah massacre in Australia: "It was dead everywhere"

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Some of the thousands who descended on Sydney's Bondi Beach Sunday evening were looking for relief from the hot weather, while others joined the local Jewish group to celebrate Hanukkah or the festival of lights. Advertisements advertised a face-painting, donuts, and petting farm. The goal was to "fill Bondi" with light and joy. The scene became a bloodbath hours later. Two gunmen fired between 10 and twenty minutes on Hanukkah attendees, killing men, women, and children, as terrified beachgoers fled. At least 40 people, including at least two police officers, were injured, with some of them critically. More than 12 people died and more than a dozen others wounded.

The video footage, interviews with witnesses and comments of police officials and other authorities, as well as media reports and videos from the incident, have helped to piece together when Hanukkah went from a time for celebration to one that was filled with fear.

The police have not released the names of the two suspects. One was shot dead and the other critically injured in a shootout with the police. State media ABC and others have identified the two suspects as Sajid and his son Naveed.

Police said that by Sunday the men had collected six firearms belonging to the father, as well as multiple improvised bomb devices. According to the police, the father owned a firearm and was a member of a gun club.

According to Australia's ABC public broadcaster, the two men lived in a "spartan" Airbnb apartment located in Campsie, a suburb southwest of Sydney. The son, a 24 year-old Sydney bricklayer who was unemployed, called his mom to inform her that his father, 50-year old shopowner, and he had taken a fishing trip over the weekend on the eastern coast of Australia, according to the Sydney Morning Herald, which cited his mother.

Anthony Albanese, Australian prime minister, said that in October 2019, Australia’s intelligence agency investigated the son to determine if he had any ties with a self-proclaimed Islamic State terror. Albanese stated that the agency determined there was "no evidence of an ongoing threat".

According to the police, on Sunday night, two men left improvised bombs in a car that was parked near Bondi Beachfront. They then drove towards the beach.

Two figures in black are then seen on video footage standing atop the concrete bridge that leads to Bondi's crowded waters and a nearby park. Bystanders recorded both men firing?large, powerful firearms' from the highpoint toward the Hanukkah celebration. A surf camera captured footage of dozens running across Bondi sand in an attempt to escape gunfire. Terry, a man who identified himself as such, said that his daughter of 15 years was "part of the stampede".

Terry said that she took refuge at the Iceberg Swimming?Pools, located at the southern end Bondi. She used the phone of a stranger to call him while he was at another Hanukkah celebration.

He said, "You think you are safe standing here." He had to reconsider his life as an Australian because of the growing antisemitic attacks, many of which are linked to the Gaza war. He said, "Maybe one day we should move to Israel." The irony is, that Israel looks like the only safe place we can be in the world as Jews.

In a third video, the older shooter is seen standing near the festival site. The older shooter fires directly at a festival attendee while others run. Local media identified the man as Sydney resident Ahmed al Ahmed. He is seen hiding behind a car. Ahmed, hiding behind a car, tackles the shooter from behind and tears the gun from his hands. He then points it at the man as he flees. Ahmed was treated in hospital for two gunshot wounds on Monday.

The drone video shows the older gunman lying prone on the concrete, while the younger man moves around before falling.

Sixth video: Three police officers sprint?towards the bridge, arms outstretched. One video shows the officers holding two men down on the floor, as a passerby runs up and kicks the men.

The video shows that at least nine officers are on the bridge. Several of them kneel over prone men and apply chest compressions. The police said that the older man at Bondi died from his injuries.

Hussain Rifi (18) said that he and a group were in a nearby shower block. Rifi said, "We were taking videos and flexing our muscles in the mirror when we heard it: bang bang bang." He soon realised that the sounds were gunshots.

He said that he and his friend hid near the showers for about 20 minutes until the shooting stopped. He saw dead bodies when he looked around.

Rifi said, "There were chunks of human flesh on the floor." It was everywhere dead people.

Hundreds of paramedics and police descended upon the scene. From there, dozens of injured victims and the shooter survived were transported to local hospitals. 16 people have died, including a 10-year old girl and a British born rabbi.

Police began to sweep the grass and sand using flashlights as darkness fell. They were apparently looking for evidence. ABC reported that police found an Islamic State Flag in the car of the gunmen suspected.

The men were arrested in Bonnyrigg, a suburb in Sydney. They also had their Airbnb at Campsie.

Rabbi Levi Wolff, of the Central Sydney Synagogue, stood in shock on Bondi's main street. After hearing the news, he had rushed over to a religious service.

He said that it was hard to believe that such a thing could be possible in Australia, a country that has been so welcoming for generations. Then he stepped away to answer a phone call from Israel's President.

He said that "the silent majority" of antisemitism opponents "must no longer remain silent." (Editing Praveen Menon & Lincoln Feast).

(source: Reuters)