A father and son accused of a mass capturing at Australia’s Bondi Seashore “acted alone” and weren’t a part of a wider terrorist cell, police mentioned on Tuesday.
Sajid Akram and his son Naveed allegedly killed 15 individuals in an ISIS-inspired assault concentrating on a Jewish competition on December 14.
The pair traveled to the southern Philippines within the weeks earlier than the capturing, fueling suspicions that they could be linked to extremists.
Australian Federal Police commissioner Krissy Barrett mentioned to date, this didn’t seem like the case.
“These people are alleged to have acted alone,” she instructed reporters.
“There is no such thing as a proof to counsel these alleged offenders have been a part of a broader terrorist cell, or have been directed by others to hold out the assault.”
Barrett mentioned police would proceed to probe why the pair traveled to the town of Davao, the place CCTV confirmed they barely left their funds lodge.
“I wish to be clear. I’m not suggesting they have been there for tourism,” she mentioned.
Police consider the duo “meticulously deliberate” the assault for months, and have launched photos exhibiting them coaching with shotguns within the Australian countryside.
Additionally they recorded a video in October railing in opposition to “Zionists” whereas sitting in entrance of a flag of the Islamic State group, police have mentioned.
Sajid Akram, 50, was shot and killed by police through the assault. An Indian nationwide, he entered Australia on a visa in 1998.
Gun crackdown
His 24-year-old son, Naveed, an Australian-born citizen, stays in custody charged with 15 murders and a litany of different critical offenses.
New 12 months’s Eve events throughout Sydney will pause at 11pm (5pm PKT) on Wednesday for a minute of silence in reminiscence of the victims.
Crowds shall be watched over by squads of police carrying high-powered firearms, New South Wales state premier Chris Minns mentioned on Tuesday.
“That could be a clear and deliberate message from the police that security is the primary precedence,” he instructed reporters.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has introduced a nationwide crackdown on gun possession and hate speech within the wake of the assault, promising stricter legal guidelines and harsher penalties.
He has introduced a sweeping buyback scheme to “get weapons off our streets”.
It’s the largest gun buyback since 1996, when Australia tightened firearms legal guidelines within the wake of a mass capturing that killed 35 individuals at Port Arthur.
Albanese has additionally ordered a assessment of police and intelligence companies.
