The dad and son accused of carrying out the Bondi Beach attack were not part of a larger terror group, but were ‘inspired’ by Islamic State, police say.
Sajid Akram, 50, and his son Naveed have been accused of carrying out the shooting which killed 15 and left at least 40 others wounded on December 14.
During the massacre – Australia’s deadliest since 1996 – Sajid was shot dead by police while Naveed was hospitalised and later charged with 59 offences including 15 counts of murder and one of committing a terrorist attack.
The pair spent most of November in Davao City in the Philippines before allegedly carrying out the deadly attack, which investigators believe was inspired by the Islamic State group.
They arrived on November 1 and stayed all the way until November 29, but Philippine National Police confirmed the pair rarely left their hotel.
Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett said: ‘There is no evidence to suggest they received training or underwent logistical preparation for their alleged attack.
‘These individuals are alleged to have acted alone. There is no evidence to suggest these alleged offenders were part of a broader terrorist cell, or were directed by others to carry out an attack.
‘However, I want to be clear, I am not suggesting that they were there for tourism.’
The southern Philippines once drew small numbers of foreign militants aligned with the Islamic State group or al-Qaeda to train in a secessionist conflict involving minority Muslims in the largely Catholic nation.
Now pressure is rising to make sure New Year’s Eve celebrations are adequately protected.
New South Wales Police said 2,500 officers will be deployed in Sydney, with many of them armed.
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns said: ‘Given we’ve just had the worst terrorism event in Australia’s history inside the last month, it would be self-evidently the case that things need to change and the security needs to change.
‘It’s an opportunity to thumb our nose at the terrorists and their ideology that really would have us living in a ball and not celebrating this beautiful city.
‘So this is an opportunity to live your life and show defiance to that kind of ideology.’
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