Two gunmen accused of opening fire on a Jewish celebration on Sydney’s Bondi Beach earlier this month acted alone and were not part of a broader militant network, Australian police said on Tuesday. The attack, which took place during a Hanukkah event on December 14, left 15 people dead in the country’s worst mass shooting in nearly 30 years.
Police allege that Naveed Akram and his father, Sajid Akram, carried out the attack, which shocked the nation and prompted immediate changes to Australia’s already strict gun laws. Investigators had initially said the pair appeared to be inspired by Islamic State, after homemade flags linked to the militant group were found in their vehicle following the shooting.
The investigation also focused on a month-long trip the two men made to the southern Philippines in November, where parts of the Mindanao region have previously been affected by militant activity. However, Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett said there was no indication the men received formal training during that trip.
“There is no evidence to suggest these alleged offenders were part of a broader terrorist cell, or were directed by others to carry out an attack,” Barrett told a news conference. She stressed that the findings represent an initial assessment and that authorities in both Australia and the Philippines are continuing their inquiries.
Barrett added that while the trip was not believed to involve militant training, investigators were not dismissing its significance. “I am not suggesting that they were there for tourism,” she said.
During the attack, Sajid Akram was shot dead by police at the scene. Naveed Akram was also shot and later charged after emerging from a coma earlier this month. He now faces 59 charges, including 15 counts of murder as well as terrorism- and explosives-related offences, as the legal process moves forward amid ongoing investigations.
