Did the Bondi Beach Attacker Use an Indian Passport To Travel To An ‘Islamist Militant’ Active Area In Philippines?

The father‑son duo accused of the Bondi Beach shooting had travelled to the Philippines before carrying out the deadly attack in Sydney. Sajid Akram visited the country on an Indian passport, while his son, Naveed Akram, used an Australian passport. 

The attackers used different passports to travel to the Philippines; they departed Australia on November 1 and flew back to the country on November 28. While they were in the Philippines, their destination was Davao, a large city located on the island of Mindanao, according to the country’s immigration authorities, as per the reports of the BBC.
 
The report further said that Davao is an area where “Islamist militants” are very active, and there is a debate about whether the pair had a connection or made contact with them. The broader investigation into the attack is looking behind the reasons as to why they made the trip to the region and explores the angle of military training as the purpose.

Extremist motivation behind the attack

Australia’s prime minister called the Bondi Beach attack driven by extremism. Police reports said that they found Islamic State flags and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in the vehicle used by attackers. 

There is an investigation trying to determine if the trip to the Philippines had any role in the planning of the attack. Sajid Akram, 50, and Naveed Akram, 24, opened fire on a Hanukkah procession that killed 15 people and injured a lot more; the deceased included a young girl of age 10 and a Holocaust survivor as well.

Family says they cut ties with the Bondi Beach attackers years ago

Sajid Akram’s brother, who lives in Hyderabad, says that the attacker moved to Australia 25 years ago and married a Christian woman there, after which the family cut ties with him. 

The family further said that Sajid hasn’t inquired about his ailing mother, who has been unwell, for years. According to reports, Indian agencies found that Sajid had visited India a few years ago over a property dispute and that the family members in Hyderabad will be questioned.

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