Ahmed al-Ahmed, the hero of Bondi Beach who stopped one of the shooters, only wanted to save lives when he jumped into action to stop the terrorists during the Sydney attack, said his lawyer, Sam Issa, in a Wednesday interview for KAN Reshet Bet.
“Ahmed knew they were Jews. He is a human being. He wanted to save their lives and would do it again. He didn't care about their religion or nationality," said Issa during a preview of the interview shared by journalist Roi Kais.
The complete interview, to be aired soon, will feature both Issa and Ahmed, who is still recovering in the hospital.
Ahmed was filmed disarming one of the shooters during the Bondi Beach Hanukkah attack, where two shooters killed 15 people and injured dozens during a Hanukkah event in Sydney, Australia. The video became viral within hours of the attack.
The 43-year-old is a Syrian-born shop-owner from Sydney, who was unarmed at the moment of the attack and still managed to disarm one of the terrorists.
Jewish donors help raise $1.3 m. for Ahmed al-Ahmed
After the viral video, Jewish donors generated $1.3 million in donations for Ahmed, who was shot while wresting the firearm from the terrorist's hands.
American Jewish billionaire Bill Ackman gave $66,000 to the GoFundMe for al Ahmed and promoted the campaign to his followers.
“In a moment of chaos and danger, he stepped forward without hesitation,” the sponsors of the GoFundMe, Car Hub Australia, wrote on the page. “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.”
Grace Gilson/JTA contributed to this report.