Australia’s counter-terrorism agencies are intensifying their investigation into the deadly Bondi Beach attack, with police vowing to pursue every lead at home and abroad as the accused gunman remains in custody.
Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett said a 24-year-old man charged with 59 offences is being held in a NSW hospital as investigators continue to execute search warrants and analyse large volumes of evidence under Operation Arques.
“The NSW Joint Counter Terrorism Team continues to review evidence and information, including from search warrants conducted as recently as yesterday,” Commissioner Barrett said, adding that while locations would not be disclosed, Australians could be assured authorities were “leaving no stone unturned in Australia and overseas”.
The accused, a Bonnyrigg man, was charged earlier this week over the alleged terrorist attack at Bondi Beach on December 14, in which 15 people were killed and 49 injured. Police allege he faces one count of committing a terrorist act, 15 counts of murder and 40 counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent to murder.
The AFP also issued a warning about fake social media posts circulating online that use artificial intelligence to distort the Commissioner’s comments about the attack. Police said all official statements are published on the AFP website and urged the public to rely on verified sources for accurate information.
Commissioner Barrett said the investigation was being driven by three clear priorities: preparing a comprehensive brief of evidence for prosecution, identifying the alleged offender’s methods, capabilities and connections, and using that intelligence to “cast a wider net” to identify others who may warrant the attention of law enforcement and intelligence agencies.
As part of the broader national security response, the AFP has confirmed it is actively investigating individuals described as “hate preachers”. Commissioner Barrett said some were deliberately operating close to the legal threshold. “It is clear some of these preachers know exactly what they are doing and are clearly trying to cause fear and division,” she said.
She welcomed the federal government’s move to lower the threshold for hate speech, saying it would give police greater scope to deter and charge those “injecting and directing poisonous language towards the Jewish community”. Monitoring of extremist rhetoric, previously undertaken under Operation Avalite, has now been folded into the AFP’s expanded National Security Investigations Teams, with charges still possible under existing laws.
Commissioner Barrett said specialist training in antisemitism, introduced over the past year, was strengthening investigations and would remain a core focus, alongside ongoing engagement with Jewish community leaders. “I want to thank senior Jewish leaders for their time and guidance. Our Community Liaison Teams will continue to offer reassurance of our commitment to their safety and security,” she said.
Speaking emotionally after returning from Sydney, the Commissioner acknowledged the depth of grief following the attack. She offered condolences to families burying loved ones, noting the funeral of a young victim, Matilda. “One funeral is one too many, but the reality of this cruel attack is that some families will attend more than one,” she said. “To Jewish Australians: you do not share this grief alone.”
Commissioner Barrett said the AFP remained “resolutely determined” to protect Australians, promising a visible policing presence and the full use of national security capabilities to identify and disrupt those who seek to cause harm.
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