Bondi Beach evidence suggests shooting was ‘inspired’ by ISIS, Australia PM says

(LONDON) — The alleged father and son gunmen who killed at least 15 people in a mass shooting at Australia’s Bondi Beach traveled to the Philippines in the weeks leading up to the attack and may have been inspired by the ISIS terrorist organization, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.

Investigators are probing the months and weeks leading up to the Sunday shooting, when the suspected gunmen — Sajid Akram, 50, and Naveed Akram, 24 — fired at people taking part in a Hanukkah event. Australian investigators and officials have described the incident as an anti-semitic terrorist attack.

“It would appear that there is evidence that this was inspired by a terrorist organization, by ISIS,” Albanese told reporters at a Tuesday press conference. “Some of the evidence which is being procured, including the presence of Islamic State flags in the vehicle that has been seized, are a part of that.”

“Radical perversion of Islam is absolutely a problem,” the prime minister continued. “It is something that has been identified globally as a problem as well.”

One of the two alleged shooters was killed during the incident, with the second injured. Police confirmed to ABC News that the surviving alleged gunman, Sajid Akram, had woken from his coma but had not yet been questioned.

New South Wales Police Force Commissioner Mal Lanyon also took part in Tuesday’s press conference. He confirmed to journalists that the seized vehicle was registered to the younger of the two alleged gunmen and “contained IEDs” as well as ISIS flags.

“We continue to work through the motive of this tragedy and will continue to do so,” Lanyon said.

Law enforcement officials said they are also probing a trip taken by the alleged shooters to the Philippines in November. “The reasons why they went to the Philippines and the purpose of that and where they went when they were there is under investigation at the moment,” Lanyon said.

A NSW Health spokesperson told ABC News on Tuesday that 22 injured people remain in hospital, six of whom are in critical condition.

Twelve of the 15 deceased victims have now been named. They include a young soccer player originally from France, a Holocaust survivor and a 10-year-old girl.

Chris Minns, the premier of New South Wales, pushed back on criticism of the police response time as the shooting unfolded.

Responding officers, Minns said during Tuesday’s press conference, “acted with bravery and integrity. They didn’t take a backward step.”

“They engaged the gunmen on the footbridge with handguns,” Minns said. “The offenders had long-range rifles and New South Wales police officers were responsible for killing one of them and shooting the other one and as a result saving many, many people’s lives.”

“Now there are two officers in critical care in New South Wales hospitals at the moment. They weren’t shot in the back as they were running away, they were shot in the front,” Minns said.

“If there’s any suggestion that New South Wales Police didn’t live up to their responsibilities to the people of this state, it should be rejected because it’s not consistent with the facts,” Minns continued.

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