Sydney terrorists were ‘inspired by ISIS’ but were not part of larger terror plot, police say

Australian authorities say that while the pair of terrorists who carried out the massacre at a Chanukah event in Sydney were inspired by ISIS, there is no evidence they were actually involved with the group or part of a larger terror cell.

By World Israel News Staff

The two terrorist gunmen who shot and killed 15 people and wounded dozens at a Chanukah event in Sydney’s Bondi Beach earlier this month acted alone, the chief of Australia’s federal law enforcement agency said Tuesday, denying the two were directly linked to Islamic terror groups.

The father-son pair, Naveed Akram and Sajid Akram, displayed an ISIS flag in a video statement filmed before the December 14 massacre, and had several flags of the group in their car used to drive to Bondi Beach to carry out the attack.

These revelations fueled speculation that the two may have been directly linked with the Islamist terror group, possibly being part of a larger terror cell.

News that the two had traveled to the Philippines in November and visited a region previously known as an ISIS stronghold seemed to lend credence to theories that the Akrams had joined ISIS and received training from the group.

However, Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett told reporters at a press conference Tuesday that while the terrorists were likely inspired by ISIS, “no evidence” found thus far supports claims either of the two men were directly linked to the group or received training or other assistance.

While Sajid was killed during the attack, Naveed, who was seriously wounded, has been indicted on multiple counts of murder, attempted murder, and weapons charges.

Barrett said police believe that Naveed “was inspired by ISIS,” but added that the investigation carried out by police in the Philippines suggested the two men were not operating in an ISIS training camp.

“The initial assessment from the Philippine National Police is that the individuals rarely left their hotel, and there is no evidence to suggest they received training or underwent logistical preparation for their alleged attack.”

Barrett emphasized that the evidence currently available points to the Bondi Beach terrorists having “acted alone.”

“CCTV footage capturing their stay in the Philippines has been provided to the AFP, and we are currently reviewing that material.”

“What this points to, and I will again advise this is a point-in-time assessment, is that these individuals are alleged to have acted alone. There is no evidence to suggest these alleged offenders were part of a broader terrorist cell or were directed by others to carry out an attack.”