Ahmed al-Ahmed, the man who disarmed a gunman during the Bondi beach terror attack, has had an assault case against him dismissed. Prosecutors confirmed on Wednesday that they had withdrawn both counts against the 44-year-old, who had pleaded not guilty to the charges in June.
Al-Ahmed had been accused of putting his father in a headlock on 9 March and of intimidation over an alleged incident in June. He pleaded not guilty to both charges at Bankstown local court on 24 June. Court documents show that an apprehended domestic violence order protecting his father will remain in place for 12 months.
Lawyer stresses innocence amid family dispute
In June, his lawyer, Mohamad Sakr, emphasised that al-Ahmed would maintain his innocence. “It is a family situation he never expected, one would never want to expect, and it must be really difficult for him,” Sakr said. “He is a heroic man and his honesty and dignity should be maintained until these matters are ultimately determined.”
When the charges were initially laid, al-Ahmed alleged that members of his family were seeking a cut of the $2.5m raised on his behalf after he gained international attention for his actions during the massacre. “This situation is untrue, it’s extortion ... and my two brothers have been harassing me, abusing me and pushing to get money from me,” he told Sydney radio 2GB in June.
Brothers face separate charges
His brothers, Sameh and Hozifa, were granted conditional bail in June after pleading not guilty to charges of using a carriage service to menace or harass, regarding claims they tried to extort $200,000 from their brother. An interim domestic violence prevention order prohibits the pair from going within 100 metres of their brother, his home or workplace.
The tobacconist made headlines around the world after video footage of him disarming a gunman during the Bondi massacre went viral. He was shot in the arm multiple times during the incident and was visited in hospital by the prime minister, Anthony Albanese.
Recognition and ongoing legal matters
He was awarded the keys to the city of Canterbury-Bankstown, where he lives, and Waverley, where the attack took place. The headline on this article was amended on 12 August 2026; a previous version incorrectly said al-Ahmed had been cleared of the charges.
