The hero who bravely tackled and disarmed a gunman has been labelled a ‘traitor’ by followers of a Palestinian news website, despite almost certainly saving the lives of many during the Bondi massacre.
Vision of Ahmed Al Ahmed, 42, leaping from behind a car to disarm terrorist shooter Sajid Akram, 50, was circulated around the world, and garnered him $2.5million in donations.
Many described the southwest Sydney tobacco store owner as the ‘hero of Bondi’.
However, after Palestinian outlet Ramallah News posted Mr Al Ahmed’s story on Facebook, the majority of the hundreds of comments were hostile.
‘Treason comes to you from the closest people’ and ‘he sold himself and his life for the safety of the Jews’ were among the vile comments.
‘I wish it the bullet hit your heart,’ another wrote.
Another added: ‘May Allah not heal you.’
Ramallah News has millions of followers and is one of the most popular Palestinian news sources.
Bondi hero Ahmed Al Ahmed has been labelled a ‘traitor’ for saving Jewish lives
Vision of Mr Al Ahmed, 42, leaping from behind a car to stop terrorist shooter Sajid Akram, 50, was circulated around the world
Naveed Akram, 24, has been charged with murder
The outlet also posted coverage of the Bondi shooting that attracted hundreds of comments making false allegations that Israel was behind the attack.
The ‘traitor’ comments came after Mr Al Ahmed was handed a cheque of more than $2.5million for his actions which have been praised by locals, politicians and celebrities.
Mr Al Ahmed appeared in a video where he thanked the more than 43,000 donors who raised $2,533,585 after his heroics.
‘I deserve it?’ Mr Al Ahmed asks in the video.
When asked what he would say to the people who donated, Mr Al Ahmed said: ‘To stand with each other, all human beings. And forget everything bad … and keep going to save life.’
‘When I do save the people, I do it from the heart. Because it was a nice day everyone enjoying, celebrating with their kid, woman, man, teenager, everyone was happy and they deserve to enjoy and it’s their right.
‘This country (is the) best country in the world, best country in the world, but we’re not going to stand and keep watching – enough is enough.
‘God protect Australia. Aussie, Aussie Aussie.’
The tobacco store owner did not say what he planned to do with the money.
Mr Al Ahmed is recovering in hospital
Mr Al Ahmed is helped after he was shot in the Bondi attacks
American billionaire Bill Ackman contributed the maximum allowed $99,000 for Mr Al Ahmed’s mammoth crowdfunding campaign.
‘In a moment of chaos and danger, Ahmed Al Ahmed stepped forward without hesitation,’ the GoFundMe page reads.
‘His actions were selfless, instinctive, and undeniably heroic, taken without regard for his own safety.
‘Early reports indicate he was shot twice in the process while protecting others. This GoFundMe has been created to show our gratitude and support for someone who demonstrated incredible courage when it mattered most.’
Mr Al Ahmed was shot twice during the attacks and remains in hospital.
The father, who is from war-torn Syria, first arrived in Australia in 2006 and is the owner of Cigara, a tobacco shop in the Sydney suburb of Sutherland.
Mr Al Ahmed also said he ‘appreciated the efforts of everyone’ while speaking in Arabic from his hospital bed.
‘May Allah reward you and grant wellbeing,’ he said in Arabic.
‘Through Allah, I went through a very difficult phase, only Allah knows it. I ask my mother, the apple of my eye, to pray for me.
