Bondi Beach attackers not linked to any ‘terrorist cell’, police say

The two men who carried out the Bondi Beach attack in Sydney earlier this month were not involved in any “broader terrorist cell”, Australian police said.

Fifteen people died and dozens were injured when Sajid Akram, 50, and his son Naveed, 24, opened fire on a crowd celebrating a Jewish holiday in Bondi’s Archer Park on 14 December.

Sajid was shot dead by police at the scene while Naveed was arrested.

Australia Federal Police commissioner Krissy Barrett said that an initial investigation into why the two men had spent most of November in the Philippines found “no evidence to suggest they received training or underwent logistical preparation”.

She added that police in the Philippines had found the duo rarely left their hotel in the city of Davao.

“These individuals are alleged to have acted alone,” the commissioner said. She did not explain why they had visited the Southeast Asian country but repeated her belief they were inspired by the Islamic State.

“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,” she said.

“I want to be clear, I am not suggesting that they were there for tourism.”

New South Wales Police, meanwhile, said “all available resources” would be used on New Year’s Eve with over 2,500 officers – many of them armed – deployed in Sydney.

State premier Chris Minns defended the decision, saying “security needs to change” and called on people to attend the traditional fireworks at the Sydney Harbour.

“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,” he said.

“This is an opportunity to live your life and show defiance to that kind of ideology.”

Sydney’s lord mayor, Clover Moore, said the victims of the Bondi attack would be commemorated at 11pm on New Year’s Eve with a minute’s silence and images of a Jewish menorah projected onto the Sydney Harbour Bridge’s pylons.