Former Australian minister says ‘radical Islam pulled the trigger’ in Australia’s worst terror attack

EXCLUSIVE: A erstwhile Australian authorities curate said a operation of Islamic extremism, authorities inaction and lax information screening measures for migrants from Middle Eastern hotspots were each factors that led to the nation’s worst-ever violent attack.

Former Australian Treasurer and Member of Parliament Josh Frydenberg told Fox News Digital from Sydney that, "While guns whitethorn person stolen the lives of the 15 guiltless souls killed astatine Bondi Beach, it was really extremist Islam which pulled the trigger." He said the government’s effect to the deadly onslaught has focused connected the limb alternatively than the ideology down the violence.

FORMER HAMAS HOSTAGE WARNED AUSTRALIAN LEADERS ABOUT DANGERS OF ANTISEMITISM MONTHS BEFORE BONDI BEACH ATTACK

An anti-Israel  protestor's high-vis overgarment during a march against the Jewish authorities by the Sydney Harbor Bridge successful Australia. Aug. 2025. (Ayush Kumar/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

"We’ve taken thousands of radical from the violent hotspot successful the Middle East, namely Gaza," Frydenberg said successful a Zoom interrogation with Fox News Digital. "We person besides taken radical from galore different countries without capable information checks, and we are paying a terms successful Australia for having radical successful our state who bash not stock the aforesaid committedness that I bash and others bash to antiauthoritarian ideals."

Frydenberg’s remarks travel arsenic Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has moved to tighten Australia’s already strict weapon laws successful the aftermath of the massacre, announcing plans for a caller nationalist weapon buyback strategy and further firearms restrictions. But successful an interrogation with Fox News Digital, Frydenberg said the measures hazard avoiding a harder reckoning with what helium described arsenic years of ignored extremism, rising antisemitism and information failures that near Jewish Australians progressively vulnerable.

Rabbi Yossi Friedman speaks to radical gathering astatine a angiosperm memorial by the Bondi Pavilion astatine Bondi Beach connected Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025, pursuing Sunday's shooting successful Sydney, Australia.  (Mark Baker/AP Photo)

"The authorities needs to bash a batch much to tackle the hatred preachers, to tackle the organizations that are spreading that hatred and to guarantee that they prosecute those radical who are inciting violence."

Frydenberg said Australia has failed to instrumentality steps adopted by different Western democracies, including banning extremist groups that stay ineligible wrong the country.

"Hezbat al-Tahrir, which is banned successful the United Kingdom, banned successful Germany, banned successful mean Islamic states, is not banned successful Australia, and it should be."

Asked whether Jewish Australians consciousness safe, Frydenberg said the concern has reached a breaking point.

INTELLIGENCE WARNED AUSTRALIA OF IRANIAN-LINKED TERROR ACTIVITY MONTHS BEFORE BONDI ATTACK, OFFICIALS SAY

Australian Federal Police (AFP) Commissioner Krissy Barrett, NSW Premier Chris Minns, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon, Minister for Police and Counter-Terrorism Yasmin Catley, be a property league during a sojourn astatine NSW Police headquarters, pursuing a deadly shooting incidental during a Jewish vacation solemnisation astatine Bondi Beach, successful Sydney, Australia, Dec. 16, 2025.  (Hollie Adams/Reuters)

"Australia is unsafe for Jewish radical close now," helium said, citing what helium described arsenic an unprecedented escalation successful harassment, intimidation and unit since Oct. 7, 2023.

"We’ve seen Jewish artists that person been doxxed, Jewish businesses that person been boycotted, houses of worship, synagogues that person been firebombed, arsenic good arsenic childcare centers," helium said. "Our universities are nary longer homes of education. They’ve go hotbeds of hatred arsenic radical person harassed and intimidated and acted violently towards Jewish students and staff."

His warnings gained renewed attraction this week aft a abstracted tv interrogation helium gave to Australia’s ABC web went viral pursuing a tense speech with anchor Sarah Ferguson, who questioned whether his disapproval of the authorities should beryllium viewed done a governmental lens.

FAMILIES MOURN LOVED ONES LOST IN BONDI BEACH TERROR ATTACK: ‘NO WORDS CAN DESCRIBE THE PAIN’

A subordinate of the Jewish assemblage recovers an point from the Adass Israel Synagogue connected Dec. 6, 2024 successful Melbourne, Australia. An arson onslaught connected the Adass Israel Synagogue successful Melbourne forced congregants to fly arsenic flames engulfed the gathering aboriginal connected Friday morning. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the incidental arsenic an antisemitic act, emphasizing that specified unit astatine a spot of worship is unacceptable successful Australia.  (Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images))

"I’m profoundly offended by what you conscionable said," Frydenberg responded. "That is an insult. That is an insult to accidental that there’s immoderate governmental information successful this."

"My children spell to a schoolhouse wherever determination are equipped guards outside," helium continued. "When I sojourn a Jewish Aged Care Center, determination are equipped guards outside. When I nonstop my kids to Jewish sporting clubs, determination are constabulary cars retired determination and constabulary tape. How should we unrecorded with this? Why should we unrecorded with this?"

Frydenberg rejected the proposition that his warnings were partisan, arguing the contented cuts crossed politics.

"This is not a partisan issue. This is simply a enactment issue. This is astir the information and the information and the psyche of Australia," helium said.

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People locomotion past a memorial drawn connected the partition of a locomotion span arsenic a tribute pursuing Sunday's shooting astatine Bondi Beach, successful Sydney, Friday, Dec. 19, 2025.  (Steve Markham/AP Photo)

He told Fox News Digital the Albanese government’s effect volition yet beryllium judged by what it does next, not by nationalist statements.

"They won’t beryllium judged by their words," Frydenberg said. "They’ll lone beryllium judged by their actions, and they’ll request to bash a batch much than they’ve announced contiguous successful bid to crook the concern around."