Ahmed Al Ahmed, the Sydney shop owner hailed as a hero for his actions during the Bondi Junction terror attack, has ignited online speculation after revealing he shared a dinner with a famous Hollywood filmmaker.
A Mysterious Meeting in the US
The 43-year-old father-of-two, who is recovering in the United States after being shot five times, posted on social media about a "truly wonderful dinner" with American director M. Night Shyamalan. Al Ahmed described the evening as warm and filled with meaningful conversation.
He shared a group photo showing himself alongside the critically acclaimed filmmaker and Shyamalan's wife, Bhavna Vaswani. In the image, Al Ahmed is positioned in the middle, still wearing his arm in a sling from his injuries.
Online Buzz and Recovery Journey
The post quickly drew dozens of comments, with many followers immediately questioning if the pair discussed a potential film project based on Al Ahmed's heroic acts. "Hope they make a movie about you," one person wrote, while another asked directly, "A movie is in order?"
This meeting comes as Al Ahmed continues his recovery overseas, having travelled to the US last week to seek further medical treatment. The Syrian-born tobacco shop owner from Sydney was critically wounded during the December 14 terror attack at Bondi Junction.
Footage from that day went viral, showing Al Ahmed wrestling a gun from one of the alleged attackers, Sajid Akram. Police allege Al Ahmed was actually shot five times by Akram's son, Naveed Akram.
Remembering the Victims
The attack, which targeted Jewish people attending Chanukah by the Sea celebrations, resulted in the tragic loss of fifteen lives. In response, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced a national day of mourning for the victims will be held on Thursday, January 22.
On that day, flags will be flown at half-mast on all Commonwealth buildings across Australia. The community's support for Al Ahmed has been significant, with a GoFundMe page set up for his recovery raising an impressive $2.5 million.
