Two alleged gunmen who attacked a Hanukkah event at Sydney's Bondi Beach had travelled to the Philippines before the assault that killed 15 people and appeared to be inspired by Islamic State, police said on Tuesday.

The attack on Sunday was Australia's worst mass shooting in nearly 30 years, and is being investigated as an act of terrorism targeting the Jewish community.

The death toll stands at 16 including one of the alleged gunmen, identified by police as Sajid Akram, 50, who was shot by police. The man's 24-year-old son and alleged accomplice, identified by local media as Naveed Akram, was in critical condition in hospital after also being shot.

Australian police said both men had travelled to the Philippines last month and the purpose of the trip is under investigation.

Authorities in Manila said the father entered the Philippines as an "Indian national" and that both spent nearly the entire month of November in the country.

They listed the southern province of Davao as their final destination.

"Sajid Akram, 50, Indian national, and Naveed Akram, 24, Australian national, arrived in the Philippines together last November 1, 2025 from Sydney, Australia," immigration spokeswoman Dana Sandoval.

"Both reported Davao as their final destination. They left the country on November 28 on a connecting flight from Davao to Manila, with Sydney as their final destination."

Islamic state-linked networks are known to operate in the Philippines and have wielded some influence in the south of the country. They have been reduced to weakened cells operating in the southern Mindanao island in recent years, far from the scale of influence they wielded during the 2017 Marawi siege.

"Early indications point to a terrorist attack inspired by Islamic State, allegedly committed by a father and son," Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett said.

"These are the alleged actions of those who have aligned themselves with a terrorist organisation, not a religion." Police also said the vehicle, registered to the son, contained improvised explosive devices and two homemade flags associated with ISIS, or Islamic State, a militant group designated by Australia and many other countries as a terrorist organisation.

The father and son allegedly fired upon hundreds of people at the festival during a roughly 10-minute killing spree at one of Australia's top tourist destinations, forcing people to flee and take shelter before both were shot by police.

Some 25 survivors are receiving care in several Sydney hospitals, officials said.

A string of antisemitic incidents in Australia has unfolded in the past 16 months, prompting the head of the nation's main intelligence agency to declare that antisemitism is his top priority in terms of threat to life.

At Bondi, the beach was open on Tuesday but was largely empty under overcast skies, as a growing memorial of flowers was established at the Bondi Pavilion, metres from the location of the shootings.

Ahmed al Ahmed, the 43-year-old Muslim father of two who charged at one of the gunmen and seized his rifle, remains in a Sydney hospital with gunshot wounds. Hailed as a hero around the world, he was visited by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Tuesday.

A GoFundMe campaign set up for Ahmed has raised more than A$1.9 million. (Reuters)
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Last updated: 2025-12-16 HKT 13:12