Australian authorities have revealed that the two men allegedly responsible for the deadly terror attack at Sydney's Bondi Beach had travelled to the Philippines in the weeks before the shooting. Police are investigating whether the father and son duo received terrorist training during their overseas trip.
Philippines Trip Under Scrutiny
New South Wales Police Commissioner, Mal Lanyon, stated on Tuesday that the alleged attackers, Naveed Akram, 24, and his 50-year-old father, Sajid, made a recent journey to the Philippines. The precise reasons for their travel and their activities while abroad are now a central focus of the ongoing investigation.
"The reasons why they went to the Philippines, and the purpose of that, and where they went when they were there, is under investigation at the moment," Commissioner Lanyon told reporters.
ISIS Inspiration and Evidence Found
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed that the attack, which left 16 people dead and another 25 in hospital, appears to have been inspired by the Islamic State terrorist group. This assessment followed the discovery of significant evidence at the scene.
Police allege that improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and two homemade Islamic State flags were found inside a car registered to Naveed Akram, which was parked near the Bondi Beach location where Sunday's shooting unfolded.
Background of the Alleged Attackers
The younger suspect, Naveed Akram, who worked as a bricklayer, was known to Australian security services. Prime Minister Albanese disclosed that the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) had examined him for a six-month period starting in October 2019 due to his alleged associations with other individuals.
Reports from the ABC suggest this earlier counter-terrorism probe was linked to an Islamic State cell. In a correction to earlier information, Commissioner Lanyon clarified that Sajid Akram did not hold a gun licence a decade ago, but was only issued one in 2023.
Following the attack, Naveed Akram was arrested at the scene and taken to a Sydney hospital with critical injuries. His father, Sajid, was shot and killed by police during the incident. The investigation continues as authorities work to piece together the full timeline and motivations behind the atrocity.
