Bondi Beach terror hero charged with stalking ‘after putting elderly dad in headlock’

The Bondi Beach terror attack hero has been charged with assault and stalking months after he was declared ‘Australia’s hero’ for grabbing one of the gunmen shooting up a Jewish festival.

Ahmed al Ahmed crept up on one of the two shooters, unleashing terror on the Hanukkah event on Sydney’s famous beach in December.

Even more lives would have been lost if Mr al Ahmed had not tackled and disarmed one of the assailants, officials said at the time.

The 44-year-old is now accused of attacking his elderly father at his home in March.

An Apprehended Violence Order (AVO) taken out against Ahmed by police on behalf of his father stated Ahmed cannot ‘assault’, ‘stalk’, ‘harass’, or ‘contact’ his dad.

He was told to stay 100 metres away from his home and workplace before his court date on July 29.

It came after his two brothers allegedly demanded $100,000 each from Mr al Ahmed’s crowdfunder which raised more than $2.5 million (£1.24m) from people all over the globe.

Ahmed’s two brothers were later charged for allegedly threatening Ahmed over the phone. They have both pleaded not guilty.

The family declined to comment on Ahmed’s charges and AVO when contacted by 7News.

Hero of Bondi Beach

Al Ahmed won global adulation after he was seen surprising and wrestling a rifle away from one of the shooters. The fruit seller, who had never fired a gun before, then aimed the weapon back at the gunman, forcing him to retreat.

A second bystander, Reuven Morrison, then stepped in and threw a brick at the gunman, while Mr al Ahmed, who had not fired the weapon, rested it against a nearby tree.

That gunman, Sajid Akram, was eventually shot dead by police.

Mr Ahmed was later shot several times by the other gunman, allegedly Sajid’s son Naveed Akram, and underwent at least three operations on his arm.

His father, Mohamad Fateh Al Ahmed, had praised his son’s bravery as he recovered in hospital.

He told reporters his son was a humble grocery shop owner who had migrated to Australia in 2006.

‘He had lunch and left the house and his friend asked him to get coffee… when they arrived they were confronted with gunmen shooting.

‘Their lives were in danger and he noticed one person not far from him hiding behind a tree with a weapon.

‘My son is a hero, he has served with the police, and he has an impulse to protect people.

‘When he saw those people on the ground covered in blood his morals made him act.’