Alleged gunmen behind Bondi beach terror attack travelled to the Philippines last month, raising questions for investigators about why they went
Confirmation by authorities that the alleged gunmen in the Bondi beach terror attack, Sajid and Naveed Akram, travelled just weeks ago to the southern Philippines has sparked questions about why they went and if there are any links to reported violent Islamist extremism in the region.
Authorities in the Philippines said the father and son arrived in Manila on 1 November, where they visited the city of Davao, on the island of Mindanao. Their activities in the country’s south are being investigated and it is still too early to draw any conclusions. They flew back to Sydney on 28 November.
The southern Mindanao region, roiled for decades by Islamist separatists, communist rebels and warlords, has long been fertile ground for jihadist groups, from those affiliated with al-Qaida, Jemaah Islamiyah and most recently Islamic State (IS). Driven by a combination of political and historical grievances and advantageous geography, Muslim separatists in the region have long sought to create an Islamic state. But analysts say most groups have been significantly weakened in recent years although there has been some sporadic clashes and incidents.
