Authorities in the Philippines are investigating whether the suspects in Australia's deadly Bondi Beach attack met with Muslim religious leaders in an area known for extremism during a month-long trip to the southern city of Davao.
Brigadier-General Leon Victor Rosete, the regional police chief in Davao, said that authorities have begun "backtracking operations" to reconstruct the movements of 24-year-old Naveed Akram and his 50-year-old father, Sajid Akram, during their stay in the Philippines.
The inquiry centers on a trip confirmed by Philippine immigration authorities. The Bureau of Immigration said the two arrived in Davao and flew back to Sydney in November. Reports indicate that Sajid traveled on an Indian passport, while Naveed used an Australian passport. The pair appeared to have met local Muslim religious leaders while in Davao, although Philippine investigators are still working to determine who, specifically, they met and what was discussed.
Philippine National Security Adviser Eduardo Año said there was "no evidence" the suspects received military training during the trip, arguing that "a mere visit" and the duration of their stay did not substantiate claims of structured training. Año also said Manila was coordinating with Australian authorities to determine the purpose of the visit.
Australian investigators have described the Bondi Beach attack as terrorism and have said the suspects appeared influenced by Islamic State (ISIS) ideology, citing, among other indicators, the alleged presence of Islamic State flags recovered during the investigation.
The shooting on Dec. 14, 2025, left 15 dead and dozens wounded during a Jewish Hanukkah celebration that drew around 1,000 attendees and has become the country's worst mass shooting in nearly 30 years. The gunmen opened fire on the crowd with semi-automatic weapons and fired an estimated 80 rounds in a span of approximately ten minutes before law enforcement engaged them. A 43-year-old Syrian Muslim man, Ahmed al Ahmed, attempted to tackle one of the gunmen before being wounded by them.
A police officer fatally wounded Sajid, and Naveed was critically injured when he was taken into custody, before being charged with 59 offenses, including multiple counts of murder, attempted murder, and committing a terrorist act. Victims of the shooting included a 10-year-old girl and an 87-year-old Holocaust survivor.
Their trip to Davao has drawn interest as the region long grappled with Islamist militancy, though government officials say the threat has receded from its peak. The southern Philippines has been fertile ground for extremist networks, with security forces waging sustained counterterrorism operations, particularly after the 2017 Marawi siege involving Islamic State-inspired militants.
