Suspected Bondi Attackers Acted Independently and Did Not Undergo Instruction in the Philippines, Investigators Confirm.
The pair of accused individuals responsible for the lethal incident at a Jewish event on Bondi Beach, resulting in 15 lives, appear to have been lone actors, according to Australian police.
Investigators also confirmed that the 50-year-old Sajid Akram, and his son Naveed Akram, 24, travelled to the Philippines on 1 November. Their travel plans involved arriving in the capital Manila before traveling onward on the day of arrival to Davao City. The father and son returned to Sydney on 29 November.
No Evidence of Planning During Stay
Investigators have stated the individuals did not partake in any form of terrorist instruction or "planning" during their time in the Philippines. Preliminary investigations from Philippine officials point to they "mostly stayed in" their hotel.
The shooting—described as Australia's deadliest mass shooting since 1996—has been officially classified as a act of terrorism.
"Our teams are actively analyzing the evidence," she stated, adding that preliminary evaluations indicate that "the two men are alleged to have operated independently."
National law enforcement Chief Krissy Barrett briefed media on Tuesday that CCTV footage showing the alleged gunmen's activities in the Philippines had been handed over to Australian investigators.
"There is little to no indication to suggest these accused individuals were members of a larger network, or were instructed by external parties to execute an attack," the police chief said.
But, the pair were likewise not necessarily in the Philippines for tourism, Commissioner Barrett noted. She emphasized that, given that the investigation is still active, new evidence may come to light.
Motivation and Legal Charges
Previously, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese commented it appears both accused attackers were "influenced by Islamic State" ideology.
During the attack, Sajid Akram was shot dead by responding officers. He and his son Naveed—both armed with rifles—allegedly opened fire on guests at the Hanukkah event.
Naveed Akram, who was injured and taken to hospital after the attack, has been formally accused of 59 charges. These include 15 counts of murder and one count of perpetrating a terrorist act. He is scheduled to appear in court in April.
Immigration Particulars
In the aftermath following the shooting, immigration authorities in the Philippines stated that the father had entered the country using an foreign passport, while his son used an domestic passport.
The duo had declared the southern city of Davao as their intended endpoint. Their pre-arranged journey back to Australia was for Sydney.
Davao is a expansive city on the east of Mindanao, the Philippines' main island in the south. Historically, Islamist fighters have been known to operate in poorer parts of southern and western Mindanao.
