Official confirmations revealed the attackers traveled using Indian and Australian passports, contradicting the initial claims.
The controversy erupted after Indian and Israeli media outlets hastily claimed that the perpetrators of the Sydney attack were Pakistani nationals. However, these claims collapsed when the Philippine government and Australian authorities, citing immigration and intelligence records, confirmed that the attackers had no Pakistani nationality and that one of them traveled on an Indian passport.
According to the Philippine Bureau of Immigration, the two attackers, identified as Sajid Akram, 50, and his son Naveed Akram, 24, entered the Philippines on November 1 and departed on November 28, just weeks before the Bondi Beach attack. BBC reporting from Manila confirmed that Sajid Akram traveled on an Indian passport, while Naveed Akram used an Australian passport, directly contradicting the false narrative circulated by Indian media.
The BBC report, based on official Philippine and Australian sources, played a critical role in debunking the disinformation and exposing attempts to falsely implicate Pakistan in the tragedy.
BBC report exposes false narrative
BBC journalists cited Manila immigration authorities and Australian police officials, confirming that Sajid Akram entered the Philippines as an Indian passport holder, while his son Naveed Akram entered as an Australian citizen. The BBC further reported that the attackers declared Davao City in the southern Philippines as their destination before returning to Sydney.
This disclosure directly contradicted earlier propaganda claims that described the attackers as Pakistani nationals. The BBC’s findings were further corroborated after Australia’s Home Minister confirmed that Naveed Akram was an Australian citizen, while independent verification revealed his father’s Indian origin and mother’s Italian nationality.
The Philippine government’s confirmation has now exposed the coordinated misinformation campaign, which sought to malign Pakistan without evidence.
Also Read: Bondi Beach shooting attacker’s identity confirmed: Indian origin, not Pakistani
Who was the Sydney attacker
The Sydney attackers were identified as Sajid Akram, aged 50, and his son Naveed Akram, aged 24. Sajid Akram held an Indian passport, while Naveed Akram was an Australian citizen. According to individuals close to Naveed, his father was of Indian origin and his mother was Italian.
BBC and Australian police reports confirmed that both attackers traveled from Sydney to the Philippines in November and returned later that month. Australian police are investigating whether the trip was connected to extremist activities, after security agencies reported the discovery of homemade Islamic State flags and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) inside a vehicle used by the attackers.
Authorities have also stated that the attack appears to have been inspired by Islamic State ideology. However, Philippine military officials clarified that they could not immediately verify claims that the attackers received military-style training during their stay in the Philippines.
The deadly Bondi Beach attack claimed the lives of 15 people, including a 10-year-old girl, a British-born rabbi, a retired police officer, and a Holocaust survivor. At least 24 people remain hospitalized with injuries.
Australian and Philippine investigations underway
Australian police, including New South Wales Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon, confirmed that the suspects’ travel history is under active investigation. The Philippine Department of Defense and immigration authorities are also reviewing the attackers’ movements, particularly their time in Mindanao, a region known to have faced militant activity in the past.
Philippine officials stated that while reports of military-style training are being examined, no definitive confirmation has yet been established.
Also Read: Bondi Beach Shooting: Pakistani man exposes Indian propaganda
Political and security fallout
Following the attack, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and New South Wales Premier Chris Minns pledged to tighten gun laws and strengthen counterterrorism measures. Albanese also publicly praised a civilian who wrestled a gun away from one of the attackers, calling him a “true Australian hero” during a hospital visit.
Meanwhile, mourners continue to gather at Bondi Beach, as the community struggles to recover from the trauma.
Propaganda campaign against Pakistan exposed
The BBC’s reporting, combined with official confirmations from the Philippine and Australian governments, has fully dismantled the false claims propagated by Indian and Israeli media that attempted to link Pakistan to the attack. Pakistani officials and independent observers have pointed out that the episode reflects a recurring pattern of disinformation aimed at maligning Pakistan in international incidents.
With verified facts now on record, the narrative that the Sydney attackers were Pakistani stands completely discredited.
