The father and son duo allegedly behind the Bondi attacked appear to have been inspired by Islamic State, the Australian prime minister says, as police confirmed they were investigating why the pair travelled to the Philippines last month.
The New South Wales police commissioner, Mal Lanyon, on Tuesday alleged Naveed Akram, 24, and his 50-year-old father, Sajid, had recently travelled to the Philippines. He also alleged that IEDs and two homemade IS flags were found in a car registered to the younger man parked at the scene of Sunday’s shooting.
“The reasons why they went to the Philippines, and the purpose of that, and where they went when they were there, is under investigation at the moment,” Lanyon said.
Anthony Albanese told reporters that “it would appear that there is evidence that this was [allegedly] inspired by a terrorist organisation, by ISIS”.
It’s alleged the duo killed 16 people – with another 25 still in hospital on Tuesday – in the attack at the Sydney beach
Naveed was arrested at the scene and taken to a Sydney hospital with critical injuries. His father was shot dead by police.
Lanyon corrected reporting that Sajid first gained a gun licence a decade ago, saying he was not issued one until 2023.
Naveed, who worked as a bricklayer, came under the attention of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (Asio) in October 2019, Albanese said on Monday.
He was examined for six months because of his alleged associations with others, with the ABC reporting claims that the counter-terror investigation involved an Islamic State cell.
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