'Indian national...driven by IS ideology': Details about Bondi shooters emerge
What's the story
The suspects in the Sydney Bondi Beach shooting, which left 16 dead, were driven by "Islamic State ideology," according to Australian authorities. The attackers have been identified as 50-year-old Sajid Akram and his son, Naveed Akram (24). Sajid was killed during a gunfight with the police, while Naveed is hospitalized and expected to face serious charges. Earlier, people familiar with the matter had told the media that Sajid was of Indian origin.
Nationality
Sajid was Indian national
A spokesperson for the Philippines' Bureau of Immigration said, "Sajid Akram, 50, Indian national (Australian resident), and Naveed Akram, 24, Australian national, arrived in the Philippines together last November 1, 2025, from Sydney, Australia." She added that the duo reported Davao as their final destination. They left the country on November 28, 2025. However, no security alerts were triggered at the time of their travel.
International probe
Suspects' recent trip to Philippines under investigation
Authorities in Australia are also probing the suspects' recent trip to the Philippines. Australian counterterrorism officials believe they received military-style training during this visit, according to ABC. According to Australian Home Minister Tony Burke, the father arrived in the country in 1998 on a student visa, while the son is an Australian-born citizen. The father transferred to a partner visa in 2001, and "after each trip overseas since then has been on resident return visas, which has occurred three times."
Background check
Suspects' background and radicalization under scrutiny
Naveed was previously investigated by the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) in 2019 for his associations with individuals who were jailed. However, that investigation concluded there was "no evidence" he had been radicalized. Sajid, a licensed gun owner, was also interviewed during this investigation, but there was "no indication of any radicalization," according to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. The recent attack has prompted authorities to investigate whether Naveed may have been further radicalized after 2019.
Statement
Former colleague's statement on son
Australia's 9News aired an interview with a former colleague of Naveed, an out-of-work bricklayer, who said the detained attacker's "background was Indian and Italian." The former colleague said Naveed's mother is Italian and his father is Indian. The colleague added that Naveed spoke about religion sometimes, "but he wasn't somebody to force things down your throat."
Extremist links
Suspects' connection to extremist groups and firearms possession
On Tuesday, the New South Wales police said that the vehicle registered to Naveed contained improvised explosive devices and two homemade ISIS flags. This evidence led Albanese to say that the "radical perversion of Islam is absolutely a problem," not restricted to just Australia, but prevalent globally. The ASIO describes the Philippines as a hotspot for Islamic State East Asia (ISEA), an offshoot of the main Islamic State group.
Residence and license
Suspects' residence and firearms license details
The Akrams lived in Bonnyrigg, Sydney. Sajid had a gun license, which was issued in 2023 after he applied for it in 2020. Sajid had initially applied for a firearms license in 2015, but his application lapsed in 2016 after he failed to provide a photo as required. Police seized six guns owned by Sajid following the attacks. Media reports showed footage where Naveed is seen firing at crowds with a bolt-action rifle from a pedestrian bridge overlooking Bondi Beach.