Overview
- Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced plans to establish a national honor recognizing those who risked their lives during the Dec. 14 mass shooting at a Hanukkah celebration.
- The new honor will draw on nominations made through the Australian Honours and Awards system for bravery or meritorious service.
- Authorities have not provided a list of recommended recipients for the planned award.
- Officials say the attackers were a father and son influenced by ISIS with antisemitic rhetoric; the father was killed at the scene and the son, Naveed Akram, faces 59 charges including terrorism and 15 counts of murder.
- Cited acts of courage include Syrian-Australian shopkeeper Ahmed al Ahmed tackling and disarming a gunman before being wounded, and bystanders Boris and Sofia Gurman confronting an attacker and being killed.