Alleged Bondi Beach Shooters Operated Alone and Did Not Preparation in the Philippines, Investigators Say.
The two alleged attackers responsible for the lethal incident at a Hanukkah gathering on Bondi Beach, that took 15 lives, appear to have acted alone, per national authorities.
Police additionally revealed that the 50-year-old Sajid Akram, and his 24-year-old son Naveed Akram flew to the Philippines on 1 November. Their itinerary included arriving in the main city Manila before traveling onward on the day of arrival to Davao City. The pair flew back to Sydney on 29 November.
No Evidence of Training During Visit
Police have stated the individuals did not undergo any form of attack-related training or "planning" during their visit in the Philippines. Initial inquiries from local officials point to they "mostly stayed in" their hotel.
The attack—described as Australia's deadliest firearm massacre since 1996—has been officially declared a terrorist incident.
"We are currently examining the material," the commissioner said, noting that preliminary assessments show that "these individuals are believed to have been lone actors."
National law enforcement Chief Krissy Barrett briefed media on Tuesday that CCTV footage tracking the accused attackers' whereabouts in the Philippines had been handed over to Australian authorities.
"There is no evidence to suggest these accused individuals were affiliated with a broader organization, or were directed by external parties to perpetrate an incident," she stated.
However, the men were likewise not in the Philippines for tourism, she added. She stressed that, given that the probe is still active, additional details could emerge.
Inspiration and Court Charges
Earlier, the nation's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese remarked it appears both accused attackers were "motivated by Islamic State" extremist views.
During the incident, Sajid Akram was killed by responding officers. He and his son Naveed—equipped with firearms—are accused of having shot guests at the Hanukkah event.
Naveed Akram, who was hospitalised after the shooting, has been formally accused of 59 charges. These include 15 counts of murder and one count of perpetrating a act of terrorism. He is scheduled to appear in court in April.
Travel Details
In the days following the attack, border authorities in the Philippines reported that the father had arrived in the country using an foreign passport, while his younger suspect used an Australian passport.
The two had stated the metropolis of Davao as their intended endpoint. Their scheduled journey back to Australia was for Sydney.
Davao is a sprawling metropolis on the eastern side of Mindanao, the Philippines' largest island in the south. The region is known because, Islamist fighters have been known to operate in less developed parts of southern and western Mindanao.
