Bondi shooter’s hand signal a dead giveaway: police sources

Police sources have revealed what this incredible moment from the Bondi Beach terror attack tells us about the planning and motive behind the shooting.

EXCLUSIVE

Two gunmen who rained terror on Bondi had been planning their terror attack on the Jewish sacred celebration for months, police sources say.

Both wearing ammunition pouches known as “dump pouches” which allow for “quick reloading”, the men made no secret they were aiming at the Jewish community, “shooing other citizens” away as they embarked on their rampage.

Incredible footage appeared to show on the shooters waving away bystanders before resuming fire in the direction of the Jewish gathering.

It is believed 2000 people had gathered at North Bondi for the Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, a significant Jewish holiday that spans eight days and nights.

One alleged shooter is dead and the other is in police custody.

At least 16 people have been killed, two police officers are critical and at least another 29 are in hospital, including children.

Police sources say the fact the men were wearing ammunition pouches showed they “meant business”.

“One had his pouch on the front of his body which allowed him to reload and continue shooting. This shows they wanted to be able to fire repeatedly,” one source said.

“There is no doubt this has been a long time in the planning, and the date was chosen for an obvious reason. It’s a sad day for Australia.”

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The ammo pouch is clearly visible in this shot of one of the shooters. Picture: Supplied

Emergency workers transport a person on a stretcher after a reported shooting at Bondi Beach. Picture: AP Photo/Mark Baker

Former NSW police officer Ben Besant, who shot dead terrorist Man Haron Monis to end the Lindt Cafe siege, said he was horrified to hear of such a devastating attack on the anniversary 11 years later and was 100 per cent confident this was a “terror attack”.

“To hear so many lives have been lost is just devastating,” he told news.com.au.

Mr Besant agreed the attack was well planned.

“The fact that the location, Bondi Beach is so iconic to all Australians, the fact that there were so many people there on that day, and the actions of the two terrorists were vicious, extremely violent and callous and designed to install as much fear and terror as possible in all Australians,” he said.

One of the alleged shooters.

A man disarms one of the alleged gunmen during the Bondi terrorist attack. Picture: Supplied

He agreed the weapons and ammunition get-up showed the shooters meant business.

“This dump pouch is used by the NSW counterterrorism Tactical Operations unit and also military and special forces units around Australia and the world, especially in active shooter type scenarios,” he said.

“The date also coincides with the anniversary of Australia’s most televised terrorism event, the Lindt cafe siege.

“The fact that the Lindt siege terrorist was also armed with a shotgun and also the fact that either one armed or two armed men in this case can bring terror to an entire city strongly suggests pre-planning in my opinion.”

Bondi shooting victims. Picture: X

Police on the scene of the terror attack. Picture: Jonathan Ng

Mr Besant said the location of choice - on top of a pedestrian walkway - provided an elevated firing position which also strongly indicated “pre-planning and pre-mediation”.

“The gunmen would have had to know the area and more than likely have conducted a reconnaissance on the location.”

Police sources described the attack as “chilling”.

“The fact it was so planned and callously executed is frightening for this country,” one said.

“We are all on high alert, for what will happen next, this is something we feared but really didn’t believe would actually happen.”

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said he was appalled by the shooting.

“These are the results of the anti-Semitic rampage in the streets of Australia over the past two years, with the anti-Semitic and inciting calls of ‘Globalise the Intifada’ that were realised today.”

One of the world’s most famous beaches, Bondi is typically crowded with locals and tourists, especially on warm weekend evenings.

“If we were targeted deliberately in this way, it’s something of a scale that none of us could have ever fathomed. It’s a horrific thing,” Alex Ryvchin, co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry said, adding his media adviser had been wounded in the attack.

Sunday’s terror has been described as the worst since the Port Arthur Massacre.

In 1996, a chilling act of violence rocked Tasmania when 28-year-old Martin Bryant unleashed a deadly attack at the historic Port Arthur penal colony. After a seemingly ordinary lunch at a local café, Bryant pulled a semi-automatic rifle from his bag, embarking on a horrific killing spree. By the time he was finally apprehended the following morning, a staggering 35 innocent lives had been brutally cut short, and another 23 people were left wounded in the wake of the tragedy.

Originally published as Bondi shooter’s hand signal a dead giveaway: police sources