Philippine immigration authorities have said that the father and son accused of carrying out the deadly shooting at Sydney’s Bondi Beach had travelled to the Philippines last month, with conflicting reports emerging about their nationality and travel documents.
According to immigration officials in the Philippines, Sajid Akram, 50, and his son Naveed Akram, 24, arrived in the country together from Sydney on November 1 and left on November 28. Immigration spokesperson Dana Sandoval said Sajid travelled on an Indian passport, while Naveed used an Australian passport. “Sajid Akram, an Indian national, and Naveed Akram, an Australian national, arrived in the Philippines together last November 1 from Sydney,” Sandoval told AFP.
The New York Times also reported that Philippine immigration records described Sajid as an Indian national and Naveed as an Australian citizen. It added that Australian authorities have confirmed Naveed’s citizenship but have not publicly clarified Sajid’s nationality.
However, other reports contradicted this account. Bloomberg quoted Philippine immigration authorities as saying that both Sajid and Naveed travelled on Indian passports. Philippine news outlet ABS-CBN also reported that both men were described by immigration officials as Indian nationals.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said investigators believe the two gunmen were motivated by Islamic State ideology. According to Philippine authorities, both men had listed Davao as their destination and later travelled back to Sydney via Manila.
Bloomberg reported that India’s Ministry of External Affairs did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the claims regarding the passports.
Earlier, ABC News reported that the suspects had travelled to the Philippines in the month before the Bondi Beach attack and were allegedly seeking military style training. CNN reported that investigators found two homemade ISIS flags and improvised explosive devices inside a vehicle registered to the younger suspect.
NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon confirmed the overseas travel and said its purpose was still under investigation. “I can confirm that they did travel to the Philippines. Why they went and what they did there is under investigation,” he said.
Police said the two men had told family members they were going on a fishing trip but were instead staying at a short-term rental in Campsie before the attack.
Prime Minister Albanese said Naveed Akram had come to the attention of Australia’s intelligence agency in 2019. “He was interviewed along with family members, but at that time he was not considered a person of interest,” Albanese said.
Sajid Akram, who arrived in Australia in 1998 on a student visa and later held a resident return visa, was shot dead at the scene. Police said he legally owned several firearms, held a recreational hunting licence and was a member of a gun club.
Fifteen people were killed when the attackers targeted a Hanukkah event at Bondi Beach, including a 10-year-old girl, a British-born rabbi, a retired police officer and a Holocaust survivor. Police said the area remained an active crime scene, but it is expected to reopen to the public soon.
