AI-Generated Images Falsely Depict Alleged Bondi Gunman, Spreading Misinformation

Falsehoods Proliferate Online Following Bondi Beach Attack

Misinformation and conspiracy theories have rapidly spread across social media platforms in the aftermath of the tragic Bondi Beach attack, with AI-generated images playing a significant role in distorting public understanding of events. ABC NEWS Verify has conducted an in-depth analysis of several instances where artificial intelligence and manipulated content are being weaponized to spread false narratives.

In one prominent case, an AI-generated image purporting to show alleged gunman Naveed Akram meeting with an Indian military official in the Philippines has gained traction online. The fabricated image depicts Akram supposedly sitting across from Captain Chandra Kant Kothari, the defense attaché of India to the Philippines, at an outdoor café.

ABC NEWS Verify has conclusively determined the image was created using Google’s AI tools. Testing through Google’s Synth ID detector confirmed the presence of the company’s invisible watermark, a telltale sign of AI generation. Close visual analysis reveals numerous inconsistencies typical of AI-created content, including physically impossible elements like a bucket of chicken with garbled text, an indoor desk lamp placed outdoors, and background vehicles unnaturally merged together.

The timing of this fabrication appears deliberate, coming shortly after ABC News revealed that Akram and his brother Sajid had traveled to the Philippines for “military-style training” in the month preceding the attack. The doctored image has been weaponized to falsely suggest Indian authorities had prior knowledge of or involvement in the attack.

In another troubling development, fabricated “leaked” screenshots of a fake Facebook profile for someone named “David Cohen” have circulated widely online. The profile features AI-manipulated photos of Akram wearing a Jewish yarmulke and attending a bar mitzvah, creating a false narrative about his religious identity.

Despite clear signs of fabrication, these screenshots have received over two million views across various platforms. A pro-Palestine Instagram account initially credited as the source of these images has since issued an apology, acknowledging they were AI-generated. The false content has fueled antisemitic conspiracy theories suggesting Israeli connections to the gunmen without any factual basis.

Female police officers who responded to the Bondi Beach attack have also become targets of coordinated misinformation campaigns. Several social media accounts have posted misleading images and misogynistic criticism, falsely suggesting the officers were hiding rather than responding appropriately to the threat.

Verified video footage tells a different story. One female officer can be seen being directly engaged by the younger alleged gunman while attempting to protect two bystanders behind a vehicle. She appears to be the first officer to approach the footbridge after the attack ended. Another female officer arrived shortly thereafter, and both helped prevent confrontations between bystanders while securing the crime scene.

Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon has publicly condemned these mischaracterizations, telling 2GB radio that “that type of misinformation, that type of taking situations out of context, is incredibly harmful,” while commending the officers’ actions during the crisis.

The proliferation of AI-generated content presents a growing challenge for law enforcement, journalists, and the public in distinguishing fact from fiction during critical incidents. As investigation into the Bondi Beach attack continues, authorities are urging the public to rely on verified information from official sources rather than unsubstantiated claims spreading across social media platforms.

The incident highlights the increasing sophistication of digital misinformation and the importance of critical media literacy in an era where artificial intelligence can be weaponized to create convincing but entirely fabricated narratives around traumatic events.