Australian authorities are currently probing the reasons behind the recent visit of Naveed and Sajid Akram, the alleged shooters in the Bondi incident, to the Philippines. This trip occurred just before they carried out a terror attack targeting the Jewish community in Australia.
NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon stated on December 16 that the Akram brothers had indeed traveled to the Philippines, and the purpose of their visit is now under investigation.
Recent reports indicate that the Akram siblings underwent military-style training in the southern regions of the Philippines. Shortly after their return to Sydney, they orchestrated a devastating attack during a Hanukkah celebration in Bondi.
In a surprising revelation, Lanyon confirmed that the vehicle owned by the younger Akram brother contained improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and two homemade ISIS flags. The Philippines has been a known hub for extremist activities since the 1990s.
Acknowledging an oversight, Lanyon admitted that there was an error in granting a firearms license to Sajid Akram. Despite an initial lapse in the license application in 2016 due to missing documentation, a second license was mistakenly issued.
The response of the NSW police force to the Sydney terror attack has faced scrutiny, leading to a defensive reaction from NSW Premier Chris Minns. He defended the officers’ actions, highlighting that two critically injured officers were shot from the front, not while fleeing.
These developments unfold as Australia mourns the tragic loss of 15 lives in the nation’s second-deadliest mass shooting.