ISLAMABAD – Bondi Beach shooting sent shockwaves across the globe, and it turned out the gunmen behind the mass shooting were motivated by “ISIS ideology,” and they traveled to Philippines on an Indian passport.
More details emerged about suspects, Sajid Akram and his son Naveed Akram, who reportedly spent almost entire month of November in the Philippines, where officials claim they get “military training.”
According to Philippine immigration authorities, Sajid Akram entered the country as an Indian national, while his son Naveed holds Australian citizenship. The father-son duo traveled from Sydney to the Philippines on November 1 and returned on November 28. Investigators are still probing the purpose of their trip.
BBC and Bloomberg Media have confirmed that the Bondi Beach attacker, Sajid Akram was an Indian national who traveled on an Indian passport to the Philippines to receive “military-style” training.
🇦🇺 Australian Police are likely to release more details soon. pic.twitter.com/V2wW8r49oW
— Zardan Sangzi (@ZardanSi) December 16, 2025
Australian police indicated that preliminary evidence points to extremist motives, with attack possibly linked to terror incident. The suspects opened fire during a religious gathering at Bondi Beach, a horrifying act that has left the nation in shock.
Authorities also recovered homemade explosive devices and flags linked with ISIS groups from attackers’ vehicle. Several victims were rushed to hospitals across Sydney, with some in critical condition.
Aussie PM Albanese termed the incident as a chilling example of extremist ideology in action, confirming that security agencies are conducting a full investigation. The Island nation is now reviewing its gun laws and considering heightened security measures to prevent such tragedies in the future.
