A suspected gunman who awoke from a coma has been charged with 59 offences following the Bondi Beach massacre at a gathering on Sunday to celebrate the festival of Hanukkah.
It came as hundreds of mourners gathered in Sydney to begin funerals for the victims.
Fifteen people were killed on Sunday when two men opened fire on more than 1,000 people attending the festival. All of those killed who have been identified so far were Jewish.
More than 20 other people are being treated in hospital. One of them is in a critical condition, and four others are critical but stable, the New South Wales health authority said.
Australian police said Naveed Akram, 24, was charged was charged on Wednesday with 59 offences, including 15 counts of murder and committing a terrorist attack, after he regained consciousness on Tuesday. His father, Sajid, was shot by police and died at the scene after being disarmed by a bystander.
The charges against Naveed Akram include 40 counts of wounding or causing grievous bodily harm with intent to murder.
“Police will allege in court the man engaged in conduct that caused death, serious injury and endangered life to advance a religious cause and cause fear in the community,” New South Wales state police said in a statement.
“Early indications point to a terrorist attack inspired by ISIS, a listed terrorist organisation in Australia,” they said.
Naveed Akram, who is in hospital under police guard, was represented by a Legal Aid lawyer for his first appearance before a judge, which took place via video link. He made no application for bail, and his case will be taken up again on December 22, Australian media reported.
Authorities have said the attack appeared to have been inspired by ISIS, and that the alleged attackers had spent most of November on an island in the Philippines where extremist groups were active.
A representative for the Philippine government said there was no evidence that the country had been used for terrorist training. “There is no validated report or confirmation that individuals involved in the Bondi Beach incident received any form of training in the Philippines,” presidential spokeswoman Claire Castro said, reading from a National Security Council statement.
Police patrolled the streets around the Chabad of Bondi Synagogue in Sydney's east on Wednesday as large crowds of mourners gathered for the funeral of Rabbi Eli Schlanger, the first of the 15 people killed to be laid to rest. The 41-year-old father of five served as a chaplain in prisons and hospitals, according to the Hasidic Chabad movement.
Mourners later crammed into a suburban chapel for the funeral of Rabbi Yaakov Levitan. The father of four was known for his charitable work, the Chabad movement said.
“My heart goes out to the community today and every day,” Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said. “But today, particularly, will be a difficult day with the first funerals under way.”
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns said the state parliament would be recalled at the start of next week to introduce a package of measures designed to tighten gun control.
