Suspected Bondi Shooters Operated Solo and Did Not Instruction in the Philippines, Authorities Say.
The two suspected individuals who carried out the deadly incident at a Jewish celebration on Bondi Beach, which claimed 15 lives, are believed to have operated independently, per Australian authorities.
Police also confirmed that Sajid Akram, 50, and his 24-year-old son Naveed Akram, 24, travelled to the Philippines on 1 November. Their travel plans included arriving in the main city Manila before transiting on the day of arrival to Davao City. The duo flew back to Sydney on 29 November.
No Evidence of Training During Trip
Authorities assert the pair did not undergo any form of terrorist instruction or "planning" during their visit in the Philippines. Preliminary inquiries from Philippine authorities indicate they "mostly stayed in" their hotel.
The shooting—described as Australia's worst firearm massacre since 1996—has been officially designated a terrorist incident.
"Our teams are actively examining the footage," the commissioner said, adding that initial assessments show that "the two men are believed to have acted alone."
Australian Federal Police Chief Krissy Barrett briefed media on Tuesday that surveillance material documenting the accused attackers' movements in the Philippines had been provided to Australian investigators.
"Our investigation shows no evidence to indicate these suspects were affiliated with a larger network, or were acting on orders from others to execute an incident," she emphasized.
Yet, the pair were likewise not in the Philippines as tourists, Commissioner Barrett noted. She stressed that, given that the probe is still active, new evidence could surface.
Ideology and Court Charges
In prior statements, Australian leader Anthony Albanese said it looks as though both alleged attackers were "inspired by the so-called Islamic State" ideology.
During the attack, Sajid Akram was fatally shot by police. He and his son Naveed—reportedly carrying long-barrelled guns—are accused of having shot attendees at the Jewish festival celebration.
Naveed Akram, who was injured and taken to hospital after the attack, has been charged with 59 crimes. These encompass 15 charges of murder and one count of perpetrating a terrorist act. He is scheduled to appear in court in April.
Travel Information
In the days following the attack, immigration officials in the Philippines stated that the older suspect had entered the country using an foreign passport, while his son used an domestic passport.
The pair had declared the southern city 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' largest island in the south. The region is known because, Militant groups have reportedly operate in poorer parts of southern and western Mindanao.
