Sydney Bondi Beach Shooting News Live Updates: Bondi Beach gunmen travelled to Philippines before attack as Islamic State links emerge

Sydney Bondi Beach Shooting News, Bondi Beach Terror Attack Live Updates: Australian PM Anthony Albanese said the Islamic State connection was based on evidence, including “the presence of Islamic State flags in the vehicle that has been seized.”

Bondi Beach Shooting News Live Updates: A mass shooting that took place at Sydney’s Bondi Beach Sunday (December 14), killing 15 people during Jewish festival celebrations, was a “terrorist attack inspired by Islamic State”, Australia’s federal police commissioner Krissy Barrett said Tuesday. One of the suspected gunmen, identified as 50-year-old Sajid Akram, was shot dead, and his son, 24-year-old Naveed Akram, is being treated at a hospital. Australian Prime  Minister Anthony Albanese said the Islamic State connection was based on evidence, including “the presence of Islamic State flags in the vehicle that has been seized.”

Authorities probe suspects’ trip to Philippines: According to New South Wales Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon, the two suspect gunmen travelled to the Philippines last month, but the reason for their trip and where in the Philippines they travelled to is still being investigated by the authorities. Lanyon also confirmed that one vehicle removed from the Bondi Beach contained improvised explosive devices which were registered under Naveed’s name. “I also confirm that it contained two homemade ISIS flags,” Lanyon said.

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Calls for stricter gun laws: Anthony Albanese and other leaders of Australian states have vowed to tighten the country’s gun laws, which are already considered strict by several measures. Mass shootings in Australia have been a rare occurrence, and the most sweeping gun laws reforms came in the country when a shooter killed 35 people in Port Arthur, Tasmania, in 1996. Albanese has said that access to guns would further be restricted as it emerged that one of the gunmen obtained his lot of six weapons legally.

Live Updates
Dec 17, 2025 12:50 AM IST
Bondi Beach Shooting News Live Updates: Three more victims in the Bondi beach shooting named

Three more victims have been named in the Bondi beach shooting in Sydney where at least 15 people died after two gunmen opened fire at a crowd of nearly 1,000 people gathered to celebrate a Jewish festival.

The three victims have been named: Edith Brutman, and married couple Boris and Sofia Gurman.

Dec 16, 2025 11:36 PM IST
Bondi Beach Shooting News Live Updates: What is the history of militancy in Philippines?

The southern Mindanao region, roiled for decades by Islamist separatists, communist rebels and warlords, has been fertile ground for Islamic State's ideology. It is the only region in the largely Catholic country with a significant Muslim minority.

Its porous borders and rugged terrain made it a conducive environment for foreign fighters seeking training with groups such as Abu Sayyaf and Islamic State-linked factions.

A 2023 U.S. State Department report said the Philippines remained a destination for what it called "foreign terrorist fighters" from Indonesia, Malaysia, the Middle East, and Europe.

Armed Forces chief General Romeo Brawner Jr said in 2024 that they had not detected foreign terrorists operating in the country, crediting sustained counterterrorism operations.

- Reuters

Dec 16, 2025 11:13 PM IST
Bondi Beach Shooting News Live Updates: Jewish organization Chabad says funeral service for Rabbi Eli Schlanger planned for Wednesday

One of the victims in the Sydney mass shooting incident which claimed the lives of at least 15 people was a Rabbi named Eli Schlanger, whose funeral has been planned for Wednesday, according to the Jewish organization Chabad of Bondi.

In a post on social media, the organisation said, "It is with deep sadness that we share the funeral details for our beloved rabbi Eli Schlanger. Following the service, there will be a procession to the cemetery for the burial."

Dec 16, 2025 10:51 PM IST
Bondi Beach Shooting News Live Updates: Bondi Beach suspects travelled to Philippine region known for Islamist militancy

The father and son duo accused of carrying out Sunday's Bondi Beach attack had travelled to the southern Philippines, a region long plagued by Islamist militancy, before the attack that Australian police say appeared to be inspired by Islamic State.

HOW LONG DID THE SUSPECTS SPEND IN THE PHILIPPINES?

Immigration records show they arrived on November 1 aboard a Philippine Airlines flight and landed in Davao City, about 225 km (140 miles) by road from Maguindanao and roughly 195 km (120 miles) from Lanao del Sur, known as hotspots for Islamic State-linked groups and other militant organisations such as Abu Sayyaf.

Records indicate the pair flew in on the same Philippine Airlines flight from Sydney to Manila and onward to Davao, and left on November 28 via the same route back to Sydney, around two weeks before the attack that killed 15 people. One of the alleged gunmen was also killed.

A Bureau of Immigration spokesperson said the father, an Indian national and Australian resident, travelled on an Indian passport, while his son, an Australian citizen, used an Australian passport. (Reuters)

Dec 16, 2025 09:59 PM IST
Bondi Beach Shooting News Live Updates: What are the current gun laws in Australia?

The gun laws in Australia were tightened in 1996 when a shooter named Martin Bryant killed 35 people in Port Arthur and several others were injured.

Semi-automatic rifles and pump shotguns among others which come under rapid fire weapons were banned.
The prospective buyer's background check was introduced and a 28-day waiting period was added.
The buyer has to provide a justifiable reason for "owning a gun".
Dec 16, 2025 08:22 PM IST
Bondi Beach Shooting News Live Updates: Family of Bondi hero in Syria says his home country is proud of him

As Australia's worst mass shooting in nearly 30 years unfolded, a Sydney shopowner was captured on camera charging at one of the gunmen and disarming him. Halfway around the world in Syria, a group of men watching the footage recognised a familiar face.

Ahmed al-Ahmed, 43, left his hometown in Syria's northwest province of Idlib nearly 20 years ago to seek work in Australia. On Sunday, he was wounded after wrestling a rifle away from a man attacking a Jewish holiday event at Sydney's Bondi Beach, in which 15 people were killed.

His uncle, Mohammed al-Ahmed, recognised him from footage circulating online. "We learned through social media. I called his father and he told me that it was Ahmed. Ahmed is a hero, we're proud of him. Syria in general is proud of him," the uncle told Reuters.

- Reuters

Dec 16, 2025 07:48 PM IST
Bondi Beach Shooting News Live Updates: Sydney Opera House lights up with Jewish menorah image

The Sydney Opera House lit its wings with Jewish menorah image in order to mark the second day of the Jewish festival of Hanukkah after two gunmen opened fire at a crowd celebrating the first day of the festival, where at least 15 people were killed, CNN reported.

In a post on Facebook, New South Wales premier Chris Minns said, "We cannot, and we will not allow Jewish Australians to feel they must hide their faith, their traditions, their religious celebrations or their identity."

Dec 16, 2025 06:53 PM IST
Bondi Beach Shooting News Live Updates: Heightened police presence in place at Sydney's Bondi Beach

After the mass shooting incident at Sydney's Bondi beach on Sunday which led to the killing of at least 15 people, an increased police presence remains in place at the scene.

A patrolling helicopter flying near the scene where mass firing took place and heightened police presence than usual can be observed at the Bondi Beach, New South Wales police have said, BBC reported.

Dec 16, 2025 06:36 PM IST
Bondi Beach Shooting News Live Updates: Slain Bondi beach shooting suspect native of Hyderabad, says Telangana Police

One of the slain shooting suspects in the Bondi beach mass firing incident in Australia's Sydney, Sajid Akram, 52 is an Indian citizen and hailed from Hyderabad, Telangana Police has revealed on Tuesday, PTI reported. The police added that Sajid had migrated to Australia 27 years ago but he carried an Indian passport.

"Sajid Akram (50) is originally from Hyderabad, India. He completed his B.Com degree in Hyderabad and migrated to Australia in search of employment, approximately 27 years ago, in November 1998," Telangana DGP's office said in a statement.

Sajid was one of the suspect in the mass shooting at Bondi beach which killed at least 15 people and 40 others have been injured, including two police officers. As per Australian authorities, the two suspects involved in the mass shooting were father and son aged 50 and 24. The older man, who was identified as Sajid Akram, was shot dead. His son Naveed Akram was being treated at a hospital.

Dec 16, 2025 06:22 PM IST
Bondi Beach Shooting News Live Updates: Philippines and Australia working together on suspect gunmen's trip to Philippines

As reports emerged that suspect gunmen in Sydney's Bondi Beach attack travelled to Philippines ahead of mass shooting on Sunday, Philippines foreign affairs minister Maria Theresa Lazaro and her Australian counterpart, Penny Wong said that they have agreed to work together to “keep each other closely informed” about any developments in the investigation of the Bondi Beach shootings, BBC reported.

Philippines' minister Lazaro told media, "I spoke with Australian Foreign Minister Wong by phone today to convey my sincere condolences on the Bondi Beach tragedy."

Reports have emerged that the two alleged gunmen, Sajid Akram and Naveed Akram, travelled to Philippines last month. However, the purpose of their trip still remains under investigation.

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