Manila (Web Desk): Australian police have revealed that the father and son accused of one of the country’s deadliest mass shootings spent almost the entire month of November in the Philippines, with the father reportedly entering the country on an Indian passport.
Sajid Akram, 50, and his son Naveed Akram, 24, are suspected of killing 15 people and injuring dozens more during a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach in Sydney.
Authorities said the pair were in the Philippines from November 1 to 28. While the purpose of their visit remains under investigation, reports suggest the suspects may have undergone military-style training during their stay.
Sunday’s attack has been described as Australia’s worst mass shooting in nearly 30 years and is being treated as an act of terrorism directed at the Jewish community. The death toll now stands at 16, including Sajid Akram, who was killed by police, while Naveed Akram remains in critical condition following a police shooting.
Islamic State-linked groups have been known to operate in the Philippines, particularly in the southern region of Mindanao, though their influence has weakened considerably since the 2017 Marawi siege.
“Early indications point to a terrorist attack inspired by Islamic State, allegedly committed by a father and son,” said Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett. “These are the alleged actions of those who have aligned themselves with a terrorist organisation, not a religion.”
Police said a vehicle registered to Naveed Akram contained improvised explosive devices and two homemade ISIS flags. During the attack, the suspects fired on hundreds of people over roughly ten minutes, forcing attendees to flee or take cover before both were shot by responding officers.
About 25 survivors are currently receiving treatment in Sydney hospitals. Authorities noted that antisemitic incidents have increased in Australia over the past 16 months, prompting the head of the nation’s main intelligence agency to call antisemitism a top threat to life.
Bondi Beach reopened on Tuesday but remained largely empty under cloudy skies. A growing memorial of flowers has been laid at the Bondi Pavilion, just meters from the site of the shootings.
Bondi, located about 8.2 kilometers from Sydney’s city center, is the city’s most famous beach and attracts hundreds of thousands of international visitors each year.
Ahmed al Ahmed, a 43-year-old Muslim father of two who confronted one of the gunmen and wrestled his rifle away, remains hospitalized with gunshot injuries. His bravery has been widely praised around the world, including by U.S. President Donald Trump.
India and Israel had initially claimed that the recent attackers were Pakistani nationals. However, new confirmation from the Philippines has clarified that Sajid Akram is actually citizens of India while his son Naveed Akram, comes from a mixed heritage, with an Indian father and an Italian mother.
This revelation corrects earlier misconceptions, including the misidentification of a Pakistani citizen, Sheikh Naveed, who had been wrongly accused of involvement in the attacks—a claim he personally denied.