A Sydney man accused of carrying out the deadly Bondi Beach terror attack has been granted access to a Muslim chaplain and provided with a copy of the Koran while being held in some of the state’s most secure correctional facilities.
24-year-old alleged terrorist Naveed Akram faces dozens of charges, including 15 counts of murder, after allegedly opening fire at a Jewish festival at Bondi Beach in December 2025, an attack authorities have described as Australia’s worst mass shooting since the Port Arthur massacre.
After initially being treated at Long Bay Hospital, he was transferred earlier this month to the High Risk Management Unit at Goulburn Supermax, where inmates are held under extreme security and isolation.
Media reports say that during his time at Long Bay, the accused requested to speak with a Muslim chaplain and was visited for about 10 to 15 minutes by a Sydney-based chaplain, a contractor with NSW Corrective Services.
It is reported that the chaplain was the only non-legal or medical visitor to have access to the accused while he was detained at Long Bay. He also reportedly asked for a copy of the Koran, a request that was approved by corrections authorities.
A Corrective Services NSW spokesperson said the department took the management of serious and terror-related offenders “incredibly seriously”, noting that chaplaincy services were available to inmates of all faiths under strict guidelines.
“Inmates classified as Category AA — the highest security rating in NSW — are subject to increased monitoring and restrictions,” the spokesperson said.
“They may also be designated Extreme High Risk Restricted or National Security Interest, which involves additional controls on movement, visits and communications.”
The spokesperson added that while chaplain access is permitted under specific conditions, the department could not comment to the media on the circumstances of individual prisoners.
A corrections source has previously described the unit at Goulburn as “a jail within a jail”, saying the accused was being held in near-total isolation because of the seriousness of the charges and the risk posed both to and from other inmates.
The December attack allegedly targeted a Hanukkah celebration, with investigators claiming the gunmen displayed an Islamic State flag shortly beforehand.
The accused’s father, Sajid Akram, was shot dead by police at the scene, while the younger man was seriously injured and taken into custody.
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