DAVAO CITY, Philippines — Philippine authorities on Saturday said one of the suspects in the Bondi Beach mass shooting in Sydney, Australia, visited a gun shop in Davao City during a nearly month-long stay in Mindanao, as investigators examined the men’s movements, contacts, and activities before the attack that killed 15 people.
Police identified 50-year-old Sajid Akram, one of the two suspects, as the man who entered the gun store, while his son, Naveed, stayed at the GV Hotel in Davao for most of the 28-day booking, leaving briefly each morning before returning.
Authorities reviewed CCTV footage to track other locations the suspects visited and identify possible contacts, and National Security Adviser Eduardo Año said the men’s departures from the hotel typically lasted two to three hours, with the longest absence about eight hours, not enough to leave Davao City for training.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. rejected media reports suggesting the Philippines served as a training hub for terrorism, noting the government’s ongoing efforts to dismantle terrorist networks and maintain security.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines said fewer than 60 jihadist fighters remain in Mindanao, down from a peak of 1,257 in 2016, and the government continues to coordinate with Australian authorities on the investigation.