The two gunmen who killed 15 people at Sydney's Bondi Beach conducted firearms training in a rural area of New South Wales before their attack on a Hanukkah celebration, according to police documents.
Naveed Akram, 24, and his father Sajid Akram, 50, had allegedly planned the attack for several months and both underwent weapons training outside Sydney, Australian public broadcaster ABC reported citing police statements.
The pair threw homemade explosive devices, including tennis ball bombs, at the crowd attending the beach celebration earlier this month, though the devices failed to explode, Australian police said.
The 50-year-old father, who was shot dead by police at the scene, had recorded a video explaining their "justification" for the attack.
The men had reportedly pledged allegiance to the radical Islamic State group (IS) and flags of the terrorist organisation were found in their car by police, along with at least two improvised explosive devices.
The breakthrough comes after the police statement of facts was made public following Naveed Akram's video court appearance from a Sydney hospital on Monday.
Upon waking from his coma, Naveed Akram was charged with 59 offences, including 15 counts of murder, 40 counts of causing harm with intent to murder in relation to wounded survivors and one count of committing a terrorist act.
The antisemitic attack on the eight-day Hanukkah festival marked Australia's worst mass shooting since 1996, when a lone gunman killed 35 in Tasmania.
Gun restriction laws in Australia
The New South Wales government introduced draft laws to Parliament on Monday that Premier Chris Minns said would become the toughest in Australia.
Under the new restrictions, Australian citizenship would become a condition for qualifying for a firearms license, and the number of firearms an individual can own would be limited to four, with certain groups exempted, such as farmers.
"The legislation bans the public displays of terrorist symbols, outlaws violence, incitements of violence in New South Wales and gives police stronger powers during public assemblies," Minns said on Monday.
"It also delivers the toughest firearm reforms in the country. It does restrict access to high risk weapons, strengthening license, storage and oversight regimes in the state," Minns stated.
He acknowledged that the legislative change would be met with opposition both on the floor of parliament and from the public.
"On many of the measures that we are proposing I've heard members of the public say that we have gone too far, but I strongly believe that these changes to law and legislation in New South Wales are fundamentally important to keep the people of this state safe."
