Sydney Shooter Underwent Training On 'How To Hunt' At Gun Club For 5 Years

Naveed Akram, the younger of the two shooters who killed 15 people on Sydney's Bondi Beach, took training at a shooting club in "firearms safety" and "how to hunt". The president of the club, Vanja Kuzet told a Serbian publication that Akram had attended the club five years ago.

Speaking to Blic, Kuzet said that Akram came for "safety training, i.e., how to hunt in New South Wales" and added, "We neither support nor associate with such crimes, and it is terrible what happened."

The club was situated about 50 kilometres from Bondi, and Kuzet said that it was a "hunting association" that held gatherings and social events.

Naveed Akram, 24, along with his father, Sajid Akram, 50, slaughtered 15 people on Sunday in an antisemitic mass shooting targeting Jews celebrating Hanukkah at Bondi Beach, and more than 20 other people are still being treated in hospitals. All of those killed by the gunmen who have been identified so far were Jewish.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese promised a sweeping crackdown to banish the "evil of antisemitism from our society". 

"It is clear we need to do more to combat this evil scourge," he told reporters.

This included new powers to target extremist preachers and to refuse or cancel visas for those who spread hate and division.

The news that the suspects were apparently inspired by the Islamic State group provoked more questions about whether Australia's government had done enough to stem hate-fuelled crimes, especially directed at Jews. In Sydney and Melbourne, where 85% of Australia's Jewish population lives, a wave of antisemitic attacks has been recorded in the past year.