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Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett said investigators had found no evidence linking Sajid and Naveen Akram, despite their overseas travel and apparent ideological motivations.
Police scrutiny intensified after it emerged that the pair had travelled to the southern Philippines weeks before the shooting. (File Photo)
New Delhi,UPDATED: Dec 30, 2025 07:12 IST
Australian Police say there is no indication the alleged Bondi attackers received militant training or established links with any terror cell during their Philippines visit, saying a father and son accused of killing 15 people acted on their own, according to news agency AFP. Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett said investigators had found no evidence linking Sajid and Naveen Akram, despite their overseas travel and apparent ideological motivations.
"These individuals are alleged to have acted alone," Barrett told reporters. "There is no evidence to suggest these alleged offenders were part of a broader terrorist cell, or were directed by others to carry out the attack."
The suspects, Sajid Akram and his son Naveed, are accused of carrying out an ISIS-inspired mass shooting at a Jewish festival of Hanukkah near Sydney’s Bondi Beach on December 14.
Sajid Akram, 50, was shot dead by police during the attack, while his 24-year-old son, an Australian-born citizen, remains in custody charged with 15 counts of murder and other serious offences.
PHILIPPINES TRIP UNDER INVESTIGATION
Police scrutiny intensified after it emerged that the pair had travelled to the southern Philippines weeks before the shooting. However, Barrett said investigators had not found links to extremist groups there.
"We are continuing to examine why they travelled to Davao," she said, adding that CCTV footage showed the pair barely left their budget hotel. "I want to be clear. I am not suggesting they were there for tourism."
Authorities believe the attack was meticulously planned over several months. Police have released images showing the pair training with shotguns in rural Australia and said they recorded a video in October denouncing "Zionists" while seated in front of an Islamic State flag, reported AFP.
In response to the attack, security has been tightened across Sydney ahead of New Year’s Eve celebrations. New South Wales Premier Chris Minns said police armed with high-powered weapons would be deployed, with festivities pausing for a minute’s silence at 11 pm to honour the victims.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had launched a nationwide crackdown on gun ownership and hate speech. He unveiled a major firearms buyback scheme aimed at removing weapons from circulation -- the largest such effort since Australia tightened gun laws after the 1996 Port Arthur massacre.
- Ends
With inputs from agencies
Published By:
Satyam Singh
Published On:
Dec 30, 2025
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