Suspected Bondi Beach Gunmen Acted Alone and Received No Training in the Philippines, Investigators Say.

The pair of accused individuals who carried out the fatal shooting at a Hanukkah gathering on Bondi Beach, resulting in 15 lives, reportedly been lone actors, per Australian police.

Police additionally revealed that Sajid Akram, 50, and his 24-year-old son Naveed Akram, 24, travelled to the Philippines on 1 November. Their itinerary included landing in the main city Manila before traveling onward that same day to Davao City. The pair returned to Sydney on 29 November.

Lack of Proof of Planning During Trip

Police assert the pair did not partake in any type of terrorist training or "logistical preparation" during their time in the Philippines. Initial inquiries from local officials indicate they "rarely left" their hotel.

The shooting—declared Australia's worst mass shooting since 1996—has been officially designated a act of terrorism.

"We are currently reviewing the footage," the commissioner said, noting that preliminary reviews show that "the alleged offenders are believed to have been lone actors."

Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett told reporters on Tuesday that security camera video tracking the alleged gunmen's activities in the Philippines had been submitted to domestic investigators.

"There is no evidence to indicate these accused individuals were members of a broader network, or were directed by external parties to execute an act of violence," the police chief emphasized.

However, the duo were also not necessarily in the Philippines for tourism, Commissioner Barrett clarified. She underscored that, since the investigation is ongoing, new evidence may surface.

Inspiration and Court Proceedings

In prior statements, Australian leader Anthony Albanese commented it looks as though both accused attackers were "influenced by Islamic State" extremist views.

During the shooting, Sajid Akram was killed by responding officers. He and his son Naveed—equipped with firearms—are accused of having opened fire on participants at the Jewish festival celebration.

Naveed Akram, who was wounded after the attack, has been charged with 59 offences. These encompass 15 charges of murder and one count of committing a terrorist act. He is due to face court in April.

Immigration Particulars

In the aftermath following the attack, border authorities in the Philippines stated that the father had arrived in the country using an Indian passport, while his younger suspect used an domestic passport.

The duo had stated the metropolis of Davao as their intended endpoint. Their booked journey back to Australia was for Sydney.

Davao is a large city on the east of Mindanao, the Philippines' largest island in the south. The region is known because, Islamist fighters have been known to be active in poorer parts of central and south-western Mindanao.