Sajid, the mastermind of the Sydney terrorist attack, was from Hyderabad and did not return to India even after his father's death.

Sajid Akram, who attacked Jews celebrating the Hanukkah festival at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, was originally from India. He was a resident of Hyderabad and had moved to Australia in 1998.  Since moving to Australia, he has had limited contact with his family in Hyderabad. He didn't even attend his father's funeral in 2009.

Telangana police and intelligence agencies traced Sajid Akram's family to Al Hasanath Colony in Toli Chowki. Akram's father is a retired officer of the armed forces, and his elder brother is a doctor.

Visited India only six times

Telangana DGP Shivdhar Reddy said, "We have been told that Sajid visited India only six times after migrating from India 27 years ago, primarily for property-related matters. He did not even come to India when his father died in 2009."

According to a Times of India report, Sajid's family members told the police during questioning that they had no knowledge of when or how Sajid and his 24-year-old son Naveed were allegedly radicalized.

Inspired by ISIS ideology

Telangana DGP Shivdhar Reddy said that reports suggest Sajid was inspired by ISIS ideology. The reasons for his radicalization do not appear to be connected to India. Reddy also confirmed that he had no criminal record in India before moving to Australia.

Where were the father and son radicalized?

Australian authorities suspect that Sajid and his son Naveed were radicalized in Sydney. Naveed had attended Arabic and religious courses in Sydney between 2019 and 2022. New South Wales Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said that improvised explosive devices and two ISIS flags were found in Naveed's vehicle. Among the 40 people injured in the attack were three Indian students, two of whom are still hospitalized.