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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider Mindanao devider Macacua: Bondi Beach gunmen have no ties to local militants

Macacua: Bondi Beach gunmen have no ties to local militants

Published Dec 23, 2025 02:20 pm
MACACUA
MACACUA
DAVAO CITY – Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao interim Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua has shot down attempts to link the Bondi Beach shooters in Australia to remnants of the local militant groups.
The Police Regional Office-Davao region confirmed that Sajid Akram and son Naveed visited this city and stayed in a one-star hotel on Pichon St. from Nov. 1 to 28.
About two weeks later, on Dec. 14, they went on a shooting rampage in Bondi Beach in Sydney, killing 16 people.
Foreign news outlets claimed that the duo may have trained with local Islamic militants prior to the incident.
Macacua condemned the insinuations, saying that the Bangsamoro region has been steadily building peace one step at a time through inclusive governance, community trust, and sustained development efforts.
He echoed authorities’ initial findings that the duo did not receive any form of military or extremist training.
“On the contrary, findings from law enforcement agencies suggest that their stay in Mindanao was mainly recreational in nature.”
National Security Adviser Eduardo Año denied reports linking the Akrams to any terrorism-related activity.
Año said that there is no intelligence report indicating the suspects received military or terrorist training while in the country, adding that their 27 day stay – mostly spent inside a hotel room – would not have allowed for any structured training activity.
Macacua said that BARMM has not experienced incidents of violent extremism, which reflects the people's growing confidence in the peace process and the tangible development gains achieved across the region.
Peace monitor Climate Conflict Action (CCA) cautioned against linking Bondi Beach shooters to Islamic extremist groups in Mindanao. However, they remain a threat despite the government campaign to eradicate them.
CCA said that there is no conclusive evidence linking the suspects to local extremist groups, much less the notion that they underwent military training during their visit.
PRO-Davao chief Police Brig. Gen. Leon Victor Rosete said that law enforcement agencies are backtracking the movements of the Akrams during their stay here.
Hotel staff confirmed that the duo spent most of their time inside their rooms, saying that they would only go out of the hotel premises for about an hour.

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Davao City BARMM Abdulrauf Macacua Bondi Beach
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