ABC airs Bondi terrorist claims despite ASIO legal threat
A still from the Four Corners episode, "Bondi: Path To Terror", which aired last night despite a legal threat from ASIO
ABC’s Four Corners aired claims from a former spy that ASIO was told about the Bondi shooter’s terrorist links in 2019, despite threats of legal action before the episode went to air.
Bondi: Path To Terror was the second of a two-part investigation into the December 14 Bondi Beach attack, in which Naveed Akram and his father, Sajid, killed 15 people at a Hanukkah gathering.
During the episode, which aired on Monday night, a former undercover agent using the pseudonym Marcus claimed he warned the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) in 2019 that Naveed Akram was associating with Islamic State (IS) extremists and had been radicalised. Marcus was acting undercover as Akram’s teacher.
ASIO investigated the father and son over a six-month period, but declared Akram did not present a terrorism threat.
Before the episode aired, ASIO published a letter it sent to the ABC, in response to questions posed by the program, in which it writes “Four Corners’ claims contain significant errors of fact.”
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ASIO said that “Four Corners’ questions about the investigation appear to be based on the uncorroborated claims of a single, unreliable and disgruntled source.” It said the claims made by Marcus “were investigated at the time and found to be unsubstantiated.”
ASIO further claimed Marcus “mis-identified Naveed Akram. That is, the source claimed Naveed Akram said and did things that were actually said and done by an entirely different person … therefore the associated claims are untrue. This source also has a track record of making statements that are untrue.”
ASIO then warned: “If the ABC chooses to publish claims it cannot substantiate – particularly ones it has been told are untrue – we will reserve our right to take further action.”
Despite this warning, the episode went to air with Marcus’ allegations, as well as a rebuttal of ASIO’s claims, which he called “false and unsubstantiated”.
“I strongly deny ASIO’s allegation that I ever misidentified Naveed Akram, someone I met on a regular, face-to-face basis over many years.”
On Monday, the ABC defended its decision to air the episode.
“Four Corners spoke to numerous people and provides a number of sources of information for a detailed picture of the Akrams’ actions and associations in the years leading up to the Bondi attack,” an ABC spokesperson said in a statement.
“Detailed questions were put to ASIO and its response is reflected in the story.”
Mumbrella has reached out to ASIO regarding any legal action that may arise from the program.
An ABC spokesperson told Mumbrella they are not aware of any further legal threats or action from ASIO since the show aired on Monday night.
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