Lubaba Alhamidi Alkahil: Australians for Syria Association spokesperson on Ahmed al-Ahmed's recovery after Bondi shooting

The Bondi hero who wrestled the firearm off a gunman has a long recovery ahead.

Syrian-born Ahmed al-Ahmed has catapulted to international fame for intervening during the terror attack that killed 15 and injured more than 40.

A GoFundMe page has raised more than $2 million to help the 43-year-old father of two, who's in hospital, shot in the shoulder.

Australians for Syria Association spokesperson, Lubaba Alhamidi Alkahil says there was a lot of fear the Muslim community would get the blame.

"But who was the one who rushed to help? Who endangered himself? It was the Muslim one, right? So he proved that we are not terrorists."

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Cameron Baggriy his reaction after six news talks ABT twelve
after five Upmed Al Upmed you know the name, Syrian
father hero took the gun off the bad guy at
Bondi Beach. He's now recovering in hospital and he shared
a video. It's been translated. He's thanking the public for
the massive outpouring of support. Honestly, I don't even know
what to say to you. I went through such a

(00:21):
stage truly by God's will and thank God. Lubaba Alhamd
Alcahil is with the Australians for Syria Association and visited
Upmed Ahmed in hospital. As she joins me, now, good evening,
good evening, thanks for you. Now, how is our friend?
How's our hero doing in hospital?

Speaker 2 (00:43):
H he is recovering, but he was when I saw him.
He was in a great spain. You know that his
injury in his arms. He got shot there. He was
shot there in his arm. And yeah, he still needs
to operation. He had one yesterday anti stillness two and

(01:03):
he will not recover before six months. He will need
about six months. That's what the doctor said yesterday.

Speaker 1 (01:11):
How are you feeling the Bible because you know, there's
obviously a lot going on with social media at the moment.
What is it like to be you know, you represent
the Australians for Syria. Is are you noticing this racism
and stuff or is everybody being quite friendly? What's the situation.

Speaker 2 (01:29):
To be honest with you. When everyone was watching the
news in the beginning, we were very worried that as
usual now as Muslims will be accused of being terrorists
and that we did this and we did that. But
later on when we found out that the brave man
who rushed to help was a Muslim Syrian, we we

(01:52):
are a lot calmed and feel happy that thankfully, I mean,
he saved all of us, not only the people who
were in Bondai Beach.

Speaker 1 (02:03):
You think he saved all Arabs in Australia, not.

Speaker 2 (02:06):
Only Arabs, all Muslims all over the world. Because yes,
and actually for me, he saved every peaceful human being.
Because usually we are accused while in a city that
has multiculture and people. Yesterday on Bondai Beach there were
people from different cultures, different religions, different cultures. But who

(02:30):
was the one who rushed to help, who endangered himself?
He was the Muslim one right, so he proved that
we are not terrorists.

Speaker 1 (02:42):
Lubaba, I appreciate you being with me tonight. Thank you
very much. Let's say Baba Alhamid Alcahol. She's with Australians
for Syria Association across the Tasman. For more from Hither
duplessy Alan Drive, listen live to news talks. It'd be
from four pm weekdays, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio