Alleged Bondi Beach Gunmen Operated Alone and Received No Instruction in the Southeast Asian Nation, Authorities Say.
The two suspected individuals responsible for the lethal shooting at a Hanukkah gathering on Bondi Beach, resulting in 15 lives, appear to have operated independently, according to Australian police.
Investigators additionally revealed that Sajid Akram, 50, 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 that same day to Davao City. The father and son returned to Sydney on 29 November.
Lack of Proof of Training During Visit
Investigators have stated the duo did not partake in any type of attack-related instruction or "organizing" during their stay in the Philippines. Early investigations from local authorities point to they "hardly ventured out of" their hotel.
The incident—described as Australia's deadliest mass shooting since 1996—has been formally designated a terrorist incident.
"We are currently examining the evidence," the commissioner said, adding that early reviews suggest that "these individuals are suspected to have been lone actors."
National law enforcement Chief Krissy Barrett told media on Tuesday that surveillance material tracking the accused attackers' activities in the Philippines had been provided to domestic investigators.
"There is little to no indication to support the idea these alleged offenders were part of a broader terrorist cell, or were acting on orders from others to execute an act of violence," the police chief emphasized.
But, the pair were also not in the Philippines on a leisure trip, Commissioner Barrett clarified. She underscored that, given that the inquiry is still active, new evidence may come to light.
Inspiration and Legal Proceedings
In prior statements, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese commented it looks as though both accused gunmen were "inspired by the so-called Islamic State" extremist views.
During the incident, Sajid Akram was killed by police. He and his son Naveed—equipped with long-barrelled guns—are accused of having shot participants at the Hanukkah event.
Naveed Akram, who was hospitalised after the shooting, has been formally accused of 59 charges. These include 15 charges of murder and one count of carrying out a act of terrorism. He is due to face court in April.
Immigration Information
In the wake following the shooting, immigration authorities in the Philippines reported that the older suspect had arrived in the country using an Indian passport, while his son used an Australian passport.
The two had declared the metropolis of Davao as their intended endpoint. Their scheduled return flight to Australia was for Sydney.
Davao is a large city on the eastern side of Mindanao, the Philippines' primary southern island. It is noted that, Militant militants have been known to operate in impoverished parts of southern and western Mindanao.
