Accused Bondi Beach Gunmen Operated Solo and Received No Instruction in the Southeast Asian Nation, Investigators Say.
The two suspected individuals who carried out the lethal incident at a Jewish event on Bondi Beach, that took 15 lives, are believed to have acted alone, per national police.
Investigators additionally revealed that Sajid Akram, 50, and his son Naveed Akram flew to the Philippines on 1 November. Their travel plans included arriving in the capital Manila before transiting on the day of arrival to Davao City. The pair returned to Sydney on 29 November.
Lack of Proof of Training During Visit
Police have stated the individuals did not receive any type of attack-related training or "planning" during their visit in the Philippines. Early findings from Philippine authorities suggest they "hardly ventured out of" their hotel.
The attack—labeled as Australia's deadliest mass shooting since 1996—has been officially designated a terrorist incident.
"Our teams are actively analyzing the footage," the commissioner said, explaining that initial assessments show that "the alleged offenders are alleged to have been lone actors."
National law enforcement Chief Krissy Barrett told reporters on Tuesday that security camera video documenting the alleged gunmen's movements in the Philippines had been handed over to domestic investigators.
"Our investigation shows no evidence to indicate these suspects were part of a wider terrorist cell, or were instructed by overseas entities to carry out an incident," Commissioner Barrett stated.
Yet, the men were additionally not in the Philippines as tourists, Commissioner Barrett noted. She emphasized that, since the investigation is ongoing, fresh information may come to light.
Motivation and Court Proceedings
Previously, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said it seems both alleged attackers were "influenced by the so-called Islamic State" extremist views.
During the incident, Sajid Akram was killed by police. He and his son Naveed—equipped with rifles—allegedly opened fire on participants at the Jewish festival celebration.
Naveed Akram, who was wounded after the shooting, has been formally accused of 59 crimes. These encompass 15 charges of murder and one count of perpetrating a act of terrorism. He is scheduled to appear in court in April.
Travel Details
In the wake following the shooting, immigration officials in the Philippines reported that the older suspect had entered the country using an foreign passport, while his son used an Australian passport.
The two had stated the metropolis of Davao as their intended endpoint. Their pre-arranged return flight to Australia was for Sydney.
Davao is a large city on the east of Mindanao, the Philippines' primary island in the south. It is noted that, Islamist militants have been known to be active in less developed parts of central and south-western Mindanao.
