Sen. Graham on Chanukah Terror Attack in Sydney: “We Are In A Religious War With Radical Islam”

FILE - Senate Judiciary Oversight Committee Ranking Member Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., speaks during a hearing to examine Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and related surveillance authorities, Tuesday, June 13, 2023, on Capitol Hill in Washington. A special grand jury that aided a Georgia election subversion probe that ultimately ended up indicting Donald Trump and 18 others had recommended charging many more people, including South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, two former senators from Georgia and Michael Flynn, according to a report released Friday, Sept. 8. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)

Sen. Lindsey Graham declared that former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden are partially responsible for a deadly terrorist attack that targeted a Chanukah celebration in Australia, and argued that the massacre was part of a broader “religious war” with radical Islam.

The remarks came a day after two gunmen opened fire at a Chanukah event on Bondi Beach, a popular Sydney suburb, killing 15 people in what Australian authorities have described as an Islamic State–inspired terrorist attack. Officials said the suspects were a father and son, Sajid Akram and Naveed Akram. The elder Akram was killed at the scene by police, while his son was subdued after a bystander—identified by authorities as a Muslim man—heroically disarmed one of the attackers.

Australian security officials said the attackers were motivated by ISIS ideology and had traveled to the Philippines, where they allegedly received “military-style training.” Investigators say Naveed Akram had ties to members of Australia’s pro–Islamic State network, including a known spiritual leader and a youth recruiter.

Appearing on Fox News’ Hannity on Monday night, Graham said the attack were the result of long-term U.S. foreign policy failures and placed blame squarely on Democratic administrations.

“Obama and Biden have a lot to do with this,” Graham said. “We are in a religious war. We’re fighting radical Islam.”

“There’s a form of Islam out there that requires the people who practice it to kill all the Jews, to kill us as Christians, and to purify Islam,” he continued. “Gun control is not the answer in fighting ISIS. That doesn’t get you anything but dead.”

Graham went on to argue that Islamic State was so extreme it was “kicked out by Al Qaeda because they’re too crazy for Al Qaeda,” and dismissed calls by Australian leaders to tighten gun laws following the massacre.

The South Carolina senator also lashed out at Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, accusing him of endangering Jews by recognizing a Palestinian state.

Graham noted that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had personally warned Albanese that such recognition in the aftermath of Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack would embolden violence against Jews.

“If you recognize a Palestinian state after October 7th, you will be giving credibility to the idea that killing Jewish people is a good thing,” Graham said, recounting what he said Netanyahu told the Australian leader. “And he did it anyway.”

Graham reserved his harshest rhetoric for President Biden, whom he blamed—along with Obama—for empowering extremist groups.

“I blame the terrorists, but Obama allowed ISIS to come about when he withdrew from Iraq,” Graham said. “Trump destroyed the caliphate, killed Soleimani and got out of the Iran nuclear deal. And the dumbass Biden, the biggest dumbass on the planet, withdrew from Afghanistan, obliterated our borders, and rejoined the Iran nuclear agreement, making the ayatollah flush with cash.”