August M
Investigators are examining an overseas journey taken by the two men behind Australia’s deadliest mass shooting in decades, amid growing scrutiny of possible links to extremist networks beyond the country’s borders.
Officials say many details about the trip remain unresolved, even as international cooperation intensifies.
Journey abroad
According to reporting by CNN, father and son Sajid and Naveed Akram spent nearly a month in the Philippines before returning to Australia.
Two weeks after leaving the country, they carried out the mass shooting at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, targeting a Jewish celebration.
Authorities said homemade Islamic State flags were later found inside the vehicle used in the attack.
However, police have not disclosed where exactly the pair travelled within the Philippines or what activities they undertook during their stay.
“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,” New South Wales police said on Tuesday, adding that the trip did not trigger any security alerts at the time.
Training suspicions
Australian counterterrorism officials believe the two men may have undergone military-style training while in the Philippines, public broadcaster ABC reported, though no evidence has yet been made public.
Naveed Akram had previously been examined by Australia’s domestic intelligence agency six years ago due to close links with a Sydney-based Islamic State cell, but was not assessed as an immediate threat, officials said.
Experts told CNN that while terrorist activity in the Philippines has declined in recent years, armed Islamist groups remain active, particularly in remote southern regions.
Why the Philippines
Analysts point to weak governance in past decades, rugged terrain and porous borders as factors that allowed extremist groups to establish training camps and logistical networks.
“It’s a safe haven for foreign terrorist fighters because they can easily hide,” Banlaoi said, adding that long-standing militant groups make the country attractive to extremists seeking training, notes CNN.
Declining threat
Terrorism in the Philippines has decreased since the introduction of a sweeping antiterrorism law in 2020 and the negotiation of peace deals with several militant factions, experts said.
In the 2025 Global Terrorism Index, the country ranked 20th, compared with ninth in 2019. Still, analysts cautioned that armed groups remain active despite the progress.
Sources: CNN
