On Monday, 24-year-old Naveed Akram appeared via video link for his first court hearing since being arrested over the Bondi Beach attack in December. The short appearance in a Sydney magistrates’ court lasted around five minutes and was his first time on screen and speaking since his arrest.

Akram is accused of 59 offences linked to the incident on 14 December, including 15 counts of murder and a charge of committing a terrorist attack. Authorities say more than 40 people were wounded in what has been described as Australia’s worst mass shooting in nearly 30 years.

When Deputy Chief Magistrate Sharon Freund asked if he had heard a discussion about extending suppression orders, Akram replied with a single word: “Yeah”.

Outside the court, Akram’s lawyer, Ben Archbold, told reporters it was too early to indicate what plea his client would enter. He said Akram was doing “as well as can be expected” while held at Goulburn supermax prison. Archbold added: “Everyone knows it’s supermax … very onerous conditions,” and later said: “All we’ve done is start the process. We’re waiting for the brief to be served. There’s nothing more I can say.”

Court documents released in late December state the two men involved had “meticulously” planned the attack and had visited Bondi for reconnaissance two days beforehand. Investigators also say they recovered footage from October showing the men in front of an image of an Islamic State group flag. In that material, the men were heard making statements about their motivations and condemning “the acts of ‘Zionists'”, police have said.

Separate footage reportedly shows the pair engaging in firearms practice in a rural location in New South Wales, with police describing images of them “firing shotguns and moving in a tactical manner.”

Police say the attack on a Hanukkah event at the beach left 15 people dead and more than 40 injured. Among those killed were two rabbis, a Holocaust survivor and a 10-year-old girl. Akram’s father, Sajid, 50, was shot dead by police at the scene. Naveed Akram was critically injured and later moved from hospital into custody.

Suppression orders cover the identities of survivors, though they may choose to identify themselves. Akram is scheduled to return to court in April as the investigation and prosecution preparations continue.

Hanukkah is a Jewish festival which usually takes place in November or December. It is celebrated with the lighting of a special candle called the menorah, traditional foods, games and gifts. It is also known as the Festival of Lights.

The Holocaust, also known as the Shoah, was the genocide of European Jews during World War II. Between 1941 and 1945, Nazi Germany and its collaborators systematically murdered some six million Jews across German-occupied Europe, around two-thirds of Europe’s Jewish population.

Murder is the unlawful killing of another human without justification or valid excuse, especially the unlawful killing of another human with malice aforethought. This state of mind may, depending upon the jurisdiction, distinguish murder from other forms of unlawful homicide, such as manslaughter.

New South Wales is a southeastern Australian state, distinguished by its coastal cities and national parks. Sydney, its capital, is home to iconic structures such as the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge.

Population: 7.544 million (Sept 2014)

The police are a constituted body of persons empowered by a state, with the aim to enforce the law, to ensure the safety, health and possessions of citizens, and to prevent crime and civil disorder. Their lawful powers include arrest and the use of force legitimized by the state via the monopoly on violence.

Sydney, capital of New South Wales and one of Australia‘s largest cities, is best known for its harbourfront Sydney Opera House, with a distinctive sail-like design.

• Population: 5.23 million (2018)