On December 14, a father-son duo killed 15 people at a Hanukkah event held at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia. This attack came in the wake of the ongoing Israel-Gaza war which began with the attacks on Israelis on October 7, 2023. 

The official press release from the Australian Federal Police identified the assailants as Sajid Akram, 50, and his son Naveed Akram, 24, both Australian citizens. Naveed Akram was a known follower of the pro-Islamic State preacher, Wisam Haddad. 

Australian authorities also noted that the attackers had visited the Philippines a month before the attack, although what they did while there remains unknown. “I can confirm that they did travel to the Philippines. 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,” New South Wales Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon explained.

An anonymous official source asserted that the father-son duo had allegedly received “military-style training” from Mindanao in the Philippines. This allegation was made based on the southern Philippines’ historical ties with Islamist terrorism. However, other experts argued that there is no evidence the duo underwent paramilitary training. 

Ultimately, this is an unverifiable claim as no intelligence agency could map the movements of the Akrams while they were in the Philippines.

Why the Philippines Link Requires Caution

Public commentary has placed significant weight on the assailants’ month-long visit to the southern Philippines. While the timing warrants scrutiny, drawing firm conclusions about intent or training risks overstating what is currently known. 

One expert even suggested that terrorist groups in Mindanao were no longer seeking to establish an Islamic State but were now interested in supporting the Palestinians displaced in the Middle East. Such reasoning assumes a level of coherence and strategic alignment that is not supported by existing evidence. 

It’s true that Mindanao has historically been a training ground for foreign militants. Critically, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF)-operated Camp Abubakar and Camp Hudaibiyah hosted high-profile Jemaah Islamiyah trainers like

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