Accused Bondi Attackers Operated Independently and Did Not Preparation in the Southeast Asian Nation, Investigators Confirm.
The two suspected gunmen who carried out the lethal attack at a Hanukkah celebration on Bondi Beach, which claimed 15 lives, appear to have been lone actors, per Australian law enforcement.
Police further stated that Sajid Akram, 50, and his 24-year-old son Naveed Akram journeyed to the Philippines on 1 November. Their travel plans included arriving in the main city Manila before transiting that same day to Davao City. The father and son returned to Sydney on 29 November.
No Evidence of Preparation During Trip
Authorities have stated the duo did not receive any type of terrorist training or "organizing" during their stay in the Philippines. Preliminary inquiries from local authorities point to they "rarely left" their accommodation.
The incident—labeled as Australia's most severe firearm massacre since 1996—has been formally designated a terrorist incident.
"We are actively reviewing the evidence," the commissioner said, noting that initial evaluations show that "the two men are alleged to have been lone actors."
Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett informed media on Tuesday that security camera video tracking the alleged gunmen's movements in the Philippines had been handed over to domestic investigators.
"Our investigation shows little to no indication to support the idea these suspects were members of a larger terrorist cell, or were instructed by overseas entities to perpetrate an incident," the police chief stated.
Yet, the pair were additionally not necessarily in the Philippines on a leisure trip, she noted. She emphasized that, as the inquiry is ongoing, new evidence might emerge.
Inspiration and Legal Proceedings
In prior statements, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese commented it looks as though both accused attackers were "influenced by the so-called Islamic State" ideology.
During the incident, Sajid Akram was killed by police. He and his son Naveed—equipped with firearms—are accused of having targeted attendees at the Hanukkah event.
Naveed Akram, who was hospitalised after the attack, has been charged with 59 offences. These comprise 15 counts of murder and one count of carrying out a act of terrorism. He is scheduled to face court in April.
Travel Details
In the wake following the shooting, immigration officials in the Philippines reported that the older suspect had arrived in the country using an foreign passport, while his son used an Australian passport.
The duo had stated the metropolis of Davao as their intended endpoint. Their scheduled journey back to Australia was for Sydney.
Davao is a expansive urban center on the eastern side of Mindanao, the Philippines' main island in the south. It is noted that, Islamist groups have reportedly be active in less developed parts of central and south-western Mindanao.
