'Australian hero' Ahmed al Ahmed, who disarmed Bondi attack gunman, issues first statement: 'May Allah reward...'

The Australian hero Ahmed al Ahmed, hailed for confronting the Bondi Beach gunmen singlehandedly, has spoke for the first time on Monday (Dec 15), after the terror attack. Video of the Syrian-born man, who is an Australian citizen, has gone viral, in which he is seen recovering in the hospital and thanking God. As many as 15 people were killed and at least 40 have been injured in the horrific attack by a father and son on the Jewish Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach. The attackers have been identified as Sajid Akram and Naveed Akram. Ahmed al Ahmed was seen sprinting through the parked vehicles and grabbing the attacker from behind. Videos of his brave act of confronting the attacker and chasing him away went viral on the internet.

In the video, which has been subtitled by TRT, he says: “I appreciate the efforts of everyone. May Allah reward you and grant you well-being. God willing, we will return to you with joy. Thank you for your efforts. Abdullah, Ahmed Al and Bilal, thank you to everyone. I went through a very difficult phase, only Allah knows it. Praise be to Allah for everything, and may Allah reward you with your efforts. I ask my mother, the apple of my eye, to pray for me. Pray for me, my mother."

Ahmed's father, Mohamed Fateh al Ahmed, told state broadcaster ABC News in an interview, "My son is a hero. He served in the police, he has the passion to defend people." He confirmed that Ahmed is a fruit seller. "When he saw people lying on the ground and the blood, quickly his conscience pushed him to attack one of the terrorists and take away his weapon," Mohamed Fateh said. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as well as other global leaders, including US President Donald Trump hailed the him too. “It's been a very, very brave person, actually, who went and attacked frontally one of the shooters, and saved a lot of lives,” Trump said.