The man hailed as a hero for wrestling a gun from one of the gunmen who killed 15 people at Bondi Beach has pleaded not guilty to charges of assaulting his father at a Sydney court.
Ahmed al Ahmed, 44, appeared before Bankstown Local Court on Wednesday to face allegations that he assaulted his father, Mohammad Fadeh al Ahmed, at his Bankstown home on March 9. He also denied placing his father in a headlock and pleaded not guilty to charges of domestic violence common assault and stalking or intimidation.
“Bondi Beach hero Ahmed al Ahmed pleads not guilty to assaulting his father at Sydney court.”
“It’s been very difficult,” his lawyer, Mohamad Sakr, said outside court. “It is a family situation he never expected, one would never want to expect, and it must be really difficult for him.” Sakr added that the prosecution’s case “bears some issues” and that his client’s honesty and dignity should be maintained.
Ahmed al Ahmed became a household name on 14 December when he jumped on Sajid Akram from behind as the gunman opened fire on a crowd at a Jewish event at Bondi Beach. He wrestled a long-arm gun from Akram before a second alleged gunman shot him several times in the arm. Police declared the attack a terrorist incident targeting the Jewish community; it was Australia’s deadliest mass shooting since 1996.
Video of his actions spread worldwide, sparking a fundraiser that collected more than A$2.5m (£1.24m; $1.7m) for him. After he was charged earlier this month, Ahmed told local media the assault claims were “not true at all”. In an interview with 2GB radio, he said: “I don’t deserve to be treated like this. Since the situation in Bondi, I’ve been given a second chance in life.”
Ahmed’s father, speaking to the ABC, said he hoped the case would soon be resolved. “God willing it will all be resolved,” he said. “After all there’s nothing more precious than your child.” An apprehended violence order has been issued against Ahmed, requiring him to stay 100 metres from his father’s home and workplace.
In a separate matter, two of Ahmed’s brothers – Hozifa al Ahmed and Sameh al Ahmed – have been charged over allegations they threatened him and tried to extort some of the donations he received. Police allege the brothers moved to Australia after the shooting and later demanded $100,000 each.
In the days after the attack, Australia’s prime minister, Anthony Albanese, visited Ahmed in hospital, calling him “the best of our country”. Ahmed, who was born and raised in Syria, said he acted because his “soul” was “asking me to do that”. As he left court on Wednesday, Ahmed replied “no comment” when asked if he thought he could make peace with his father and brothers. The case is due back in court in August, with a hearing set for December.