Ahmed al-Ahmed: The Hero Who Foiled the Bondi Assault

In the course of the lethal capturing at Australia’s Bondi Seashore in Sydney on Sunday, a bystander was filmed tackling and disarming one of many attackers.

The person, recognized as 43-year-old fruit-shop proprietor Ahmed al-Ahmed, has been hailed as a hero.

On Tuesday, Anthony Albanese, Australia’s prime minister, stated al-Ahmed’s actions had been an instance of “Australians coming collectively”.

“Ahmed al-Ahmed … took the gun off that perpetrator at nice threat to himself and suffered critical harm on account of that, and is at present going by way of operations at present in hospital,” Albanese stated.

That is what we learn about al-Ahmed.

What occurred at Bondi Seashore?

Throughout a gathering at a Jewish Hanukkah celebration, two males opened hearth at Bondi Seashore, killing 15 individuals and wounding no less than 42.

In a information convention on Monday, New South Wales Police recognized the suspects as a 50-year-old man and his 24-year-old son. The daddy was shot and killed by the police in the course of the assault.

Authorities are referring to this as an anti-Semitic terrorist assault.

Who’s Ahmed al-Ahmed?

Al-Ahmed, 43, owns a fruit store in one other space of Sydney, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed on Monday.

In video footage from the scene of the capturing, al-Ahmed could be seen disarming one of many attackers. He grabs the attacker from behind, twists him round and disarms him. He then lifts the gun and factors it on the attacker, who has fallen to the bottom. The attacker will get up and backs away, ultimately leaving the scene.

Al-Ahmed is an Australian Muslim citizen of Syrian origin, and comes from the village of al-Nayrab, close to Idlib in Syria, a relative of his, who recognized himself as Mustafa Asad, informed the Al Araby tv community. Al-Ahmed is known to have moved to Australia in 2006.

Al-Ahmed was having lunch within the space when the capturing befell, and he intervened, his brother, Huthaifa, informed Australian public broadcaster ABC.

“I’m actually proud about my brother,” Huthaifa informed ABC.

A number of social media accounts world wide tried to discredit al-Ahmed, claiming variously that he was a Lebanese Maronite Christian or a Jewish man. Some even tried to offer him a totally completely different identify for some time. These claims had been debunked when Albanese confirmed his identification on Monday.

Was al-Ahmed injured?

Sure. Al-Ahmed’s relative, Asad, informed the Australian tv information service 7News that al-Ahmed was shot twice in the course of the incident.

He was then taken to hospital the place he has been handled for his bullet wounds. His brother stated he’s getting higher, however has not absolutely recovered but, ABC reported.

How is he now?

Al-Ahmed is being handled at Saint George Hospital in Kogarah, New South Wales.

On Tuesday, Albanese informed a information convention that he met with al-Ahmad on the identical day. Albanese added that al-Ahmad’s dad and mom and different family are visiting him in Australia.

Albanese stated that al-Ahmad will bear surgical procedure on Wednesday.

“I thanked him for the lives that he helped to avoid wasting and I wanted him all the easiest together with his surgical procedure that he’ll undertake tomorrow,” the Australian PM stated in the course of the information convention.

What has the Australian authorities stated about al-Ahmed’s actions?

Albanese stated the actions of the 2 attackers had been “fully misplaced with the way in which that Australia features as a society”, contrasting them with al-Ahmed’s response.

“At one of the best of occasions, what we see is Australians coming collectively. And what I would like is for Australians to come back collectively, for this to be reinforcing the necessity for us to advertise nationwide unity, and that’s important. There isn’t a place in Australia for anti-Semitism. There isn’t a place for hatred,” Albanese stated.

New South Wales Premier Chris Minns posted an image on Instagram on Monday with al-Ahmed on the hospital, writing: “Ahmed is a real-life hero. Final evening, his unimaginable bravery little doubt saved numerous lives when he disarmed a terrorist at monumental private threat.”

What has the general public response been?

A fundraiser for al-Ahmed on the crowdfunding platform GoFundMe has raised greater than $218,000. The American billionaire hedge fund supervisor, Invoice Ackman, is the largest donor to date, contributing greater than $66,000 and sharing the fundraiser on his X account.

On Monday, GoFundMe posted on X: “We’re seeing an outpouring of affection for Ahmed al-Ahmed following his heroic actions at Bondi Seashore. We’re working straight with organizers to make sure funds safely attain Ahmed & his household. All funds stay securely held with our fee processors throughout verification till switch.”

Al-Ahmed has been praised world wide.

“A Muslim, 43-year-old father of two, who bravely risked his life to avoid wasting his neighbors celebrating Hanukkah,” New York Metropolis Comptroller Brad Lander wrote on social media. “Praying for his full and speedy restoration. And so deeply impressed by his instance.”

New York Metropolis’s Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani additionally held al-Ahmed up for instance of braveness towards hate.

“On Bondi Seashore at present, as males with lengthy weapons focused innocents, one other man ran in the direction of the gunfire and disarmed a shooter,” Mamdani wrote.

“Tonight, as Jewish New Yorkers gentle menorahs and usher in a primary evening of Hanukkah clouded by grief, allow us to look to his instance and confront hatred with the urgency and motion it calls for.”