Bondi Attack Suspects Lived Quietly in Philippines Before Deadly Sydney Shooting

Post by : Saif

New details have emerged about the movements of the two men accused of carrying out the deadly Bondi Beach attack in Australia. According to a hotel worker in the Philippines, the suspects lived quietly, stayed mostly inside their room, and had very little contact with people during their stay in Davao City last month.

The suspects, Sajid Akram, 50, and his 24-year-old son Naveed Akram, are accused of killing 15 people during a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach in Sydney on December 14. The attack shocked Australia and raised serious fears about rising antisemitism and extremist violence.

Sajid Akram was shot dead by police at the scene of the attack. His son Naveed survived after being in a coma and now faces multiple charges, including murder and terrorism. Australian authorities believe the attack was inspired by the extremist group Islamic State.

Before the attack, the father and son travelled to the southern Philippines, where they stayed at the GV Hotel in downtown Davao City. A hotel staff member, who spoke anonymously, said the two men were very reserved and avoided interaction.

The worker said the suspects rarely left their room. When they did go out, it was usually around 9 a.m. and only for a little more than an hour. Unlike other foreign guests, who often talk to hotel staff, the two men kept to themselves.

“They were not approachable at all,” the staff member said. “Other foreigners usually chat with us, but they did not.”

The hotel confirmed that the pair booked their stay through a third party. They were supposed to arrive on November 15 but instead arrived earlier, on November 1. At first, they booked a room for seven days but later extended their stay three times. They paid for everything in cash.

The hotel worker said there was very little interaction with Naveed Akram. On one occasion, he asked if the hotel sold boxes of bottled water. On another day, he asked where he could buy durian, a popular fruit in Davao. Apart from basic greetings, there was no further conversation.

The worker could not recall speaking to Sajid Akram at all.

The staff member also said the two men had no visitors during their stay. No one else entered their room, and they did not bring any guests with them. When they left the hotel, Sajid carried a backpack, while Naveed carried a shoulder bag. The staff could not tell what was inside the bags.

Philippine authorities are now investigating what the two men did during their stay. However, officials say it is unlikely they received any kind of terror training while in the country.

Philippine National Security Adviser Eduardo Año said the suspects did not spend enough time outside their hotel to travel to other towns in Mindanao. He said this makes it impossible for them to have undergone any training with extremist groups.

Año also said extremist threats in the Philippines have dropped sharply since the 2017 Marawi siege, which was one of the country’s worst militant attacks. He added that only two small militant groups are believed to still be active in the southern region.

Local Muslim leaders also said the suspects had no connection with nearby religious communities. Abubacar Camid, who leads a mosque close to the hotel, said they checked security camera footage after learning about the suspects’ link to Davao.

“We did not see them here,” Camid said. “All newcomers are checked carefully.”

Residents of Davao expressed concern that the suspects’ visit could damage the city’s image. Mindanao has spent many years trying to move away from the label of extremism and show that the region is safe and peaceful.

“I feel sad about this,” said John Edward Mier, a recent graduate. “For years, Mindanao has been working hard to prove that it is secure and stable.”

The quiet stay of the suspects in the Philippines shows how difficult it can be to detect dangerous intentions before tragedy strikes. Authorities in both Australia and the Philippines continue to investigate every detail of the case to understand how the attack was planned and how such violence can be prevented in the future.

As the investigation continues, the focus remains on justice for the victims, safety for communities, and stopping extremist violence before it turns into deadly action.

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