Australia detains seven in anti-terror raids as Bondi Beach attack victim laid to rest
Seven men detained in Sydney anti-terror raids as investigators pursue leads in the Bondi Beach attack; authorities say detainees are assisting inquiries and there are no known connections to the Hanukkah mass shooting that left 15 dead.
Australian police detained seven men in anti-terror raids in Sydney on Thursday as the country laid to rest the youngest victim of the Bondi Beach attack. New South Wales police said an operation at George Street, Liverpool, in Sydney’s southwest had concluded, and that Tactical Operations police intercepted two cars as part of the investigation. Seven men were assisting police with inquiries, authorities said, and there were no immediate links announced between the detainees and the Bondi attack.
The Bondi Beach attack, a Hanukkah mass shooting at Bondi Beach, left 15 people dead and many more wounded as Jews gathered for the holiday. Police said a father and son were suspected of carrying out the attack; the father died at the scene, the son was critically injured. The younger suspect faces 15 counts of murder and 40 counts of wounding with intent to murder, along with charges including "commit terrorist act" and "discharge firearm with intent to cause grievous bodily harm." Authorities said the investigation remains ongoing.
Matilda, a 10-year-old girl, was laid to rest in Sydney on Thursday; her family has requested that her last name not be published. The funeral was attended by family, friends and mourners. A teacher described Matilda as a bright and loving soul, and La Perouse Public School said she had been given the Indigenous nickname "wuri wuri" — meaning "the little ray of sunshine" — by classmates. Matilda's parents, Valentyna and Michael, immigrated to Australia from Ukraine; Michael told The Guardian that naming her Matilda honored his family’s new home.
Australia moved to tighten gun laws in the wake of the Hanukkah mass shooting, authorities announced, signaling a broader policy response to the attack.
Among the identified victims were Matilda, Schlanger, Peter Meagher, Tibor Weitzen, Alex Kleytman, Dan Elkayam, Marika Pogany, Reuven Morrison and Rabbi Yaakov Levitan, as investigators work to verify other possible victims. A father-son duo is suspected of carrying out the attack; the father died at the scene while the son sustained injuries and faces multiple charges. Police have stressed there is currently no confirmed link between the detainees and the Bondi attack.
This is a developing story; check back for updates.
