In a significant new development in the Bondi Beach mass shooting investigation, it has been revealed that the father-son duo accused of the attack spent nearly the entire month of November in the Philippines. According to a report citing Manila's immigration authorities, the elder suspect, Sajid Akram, entered the country using an Indian passport.
Philippines Visit Details Emerge
Philippine immigration officials confirmed that Sajid Akram, 50, an Indian national, and his son Naveed Akram, 24, an Australian national, arrived together in the Philippines on 1 November 2025. Their flight originated from Sydney, Australia. The pair listed Davao, a city in the southern Philippines, as their final destination.
Immigration spokeswoman Dana Sandoval stated that the suspects departed the country on 28 November 2025. This nearly month-long trip, occurring just weeks before the deadly attack in Sydney, is now a critical focus for international investigators probing the suspects' movements and potential networks.
Prime Minister Points to ISIS Ideology
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has publicly stated that the horrific attack was driven by "Islamic State ideology". He described the shooting as an act motivated by extremist radicalisation, offering the clearest indication yet of the attackers' underlying motives.
"It would appear that this was motivated by Islamic State ideology," Albanese told the national broadcaster ABC. In a separate interview, he connected the attack to the global challenge of extremism, stating, "With the rise of ISIS more than a decade ago now, the world has been grappling with extremism and this hateful ideology."
Evidence Links Attack to Extremist Group
Police investigations have provided tangible evidence supporting the ideological motive. Shortly after the shooting, which targeted a Hanukkah celebration on Sydney's Bondi Beach on Sunday evening, authorities located a vehicle registered to Naveed Akram parked nearby.
A subsequent search of the vehicle uncovered improvised explosive devices and two homemade ISIS flags, as confirmed by New South Wales Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon. The attack resulted in the death of 15 people and left dozens more injured, with authorities believing it was intended to spread fear within Australia's Jewish community.
The revelation about Sajid Akram's travel on an Indian passport adds a complex international dimension to the case, raising questions about documentation and cross-border movements prior to the attack. Investigations by Australian, Philippine, and other international agencies are ongoing.
