A nurse from Bankstown, involved in a viral video systematically threatening Israeli patients, has been apprehended by detectives operating under Strike Force Pearl. Ahmed Rashid Nadir, a staff member at the Bankstown-Lidcombe hospital in Sydney’s west, was arrested early this week and has been indicted for using a telecommunications service to intimidate and for the possession of an illicit substance. The 27-year-old, a resident of Bankstown, was released on bail and will make his court appearance at Downing Center Local Court on March 19.
The video, which provoked outrage, also features another nurse, Sarah Abu Lebdeh. Last week, she was charged with a trifecta of offenses, including threats of violence, the use of communication services to threaten murder, and the use of telecommunication services to intimidate or harass.
Complicating the police investigation was Nadir’s hospitalization for assessment in February, following a wellbeing concern report that led paramedics to his residence.
The contentious footage, sourced from a platform similar to Chatroulette, was posted by Israeli influencer Max Veifer, who reveals his service with the Israel Defense Forces. In the video, Abu Lebdeh is heard threatening, “One day, your time will come and you will die the most horrible death.”
The case is additionally complicated by jurisdictional issues, particularly with Veifer located outside Australia.
Karen Webb, the NSW Police Commissioner, rounds off the investigation efforts of Strike Force Pearl, the antisemitism task force, which has made 15 arrests and filed 78 charges to date. Webb commends the task force for their relentless dedication and overcoming significant hurdles to bring these individuals to justice.
Both Nadir and Abu Lebdeh have been prohibited from working in any healthcare capacity nationwide by the Australian health practitioner watchdog, and their registration with the NSW Nursing and Midwifery Council has been put on hold.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/mar/05/banktown-hospital-nurses-alleged-antisemitism-ahmed-rashid-nadir-charges-ntwnfb
