Alleged Bondi Beach Shooters Acted Independently and Received No Instruction in the Philippines, Police Confirm.
The pair of accused attackers responsible for the deadly shooting at a Jewish event on Bondi Beach, which claimed 15 lives, appear to have acted alone, as stated by Australian law enforcement.
Police additionally revealed that Sajid Akram, 50, and his son Naveed Akram, 24, travelled to the Philippines on 1 November. Their itinerary involved landing in the capital Manila before connecting on the day of arrival to Davao City. The duo returned to Sydney on 29 November.
No Evidence of Preparation During Trip
Investigators have stated the pair did not partake in any type of attack-related coaching or "organizing" during their time in the Philippines. Early inquiries from local authorities point to they "hardly ventured out of" their hotel.
The attack—declared Australia's worst mass shooting since 1996—has been formally classified as a terrorist incident.
"Our teams are actively examining the evidence," the commissioner said, noting that initial assessments indicate that "the two men are believed to have operated independently."
Australian Federal Police Chief Krissy Barrett told reporters on Tuesday that surveillance material tracking the alleged gunmen's movements in the Philippines had been handed over to domestic authorities.
"Our investigation shows little to no indication to suggest these alleged offenders were members of a wider network, or were instructed by overseas entities to perpetrate an incident," she emphasized.
However, the pair were additionally not in the Philippines for tourism, Commissioner Barrett added. She emphasized that, since the inquiry is still active, fresh information may come to light.
Inspiration and Court Proceedings
Earlier, Australian leader Anthony Albanese commented it looks as though both accused attackers were "influenced by Islamic State" beliefs.
During the incident, Sajid Akram was shot dead by responding officers. He and his son Naveed—equipped with long-barrelled guns—are accused of having targeted attendees at the Hanukkah celebration.
Naveed Akram, who was injured and taken to hospital after the attack, has been formally accused of 59 charges. These comprise 15 charges of murder and one count of committing a act of terrorism. He is due to face court in April.
Immigration Particulars
In the days following the attack, immigration officials in the Philippines indicated that the father had arrived in the country using an foreign passport, while his younger suspect used an domestic passport.
The duo had declared the metropolis of Davao as their intended endpoint. Their scheduled return flight to Australia was for Sydney.
Davao is a sprawling city on the east of Mindanao, the Philippines' main island in the south. Historically, Islamist groups have been known to be active in impoverished parts of southern and western Mindanao.
