The Bondi Beach massacre proved Islamic terror never went away in Australia. Here’s how young men are being recruited in YOUR suburb

Until last week, horrific acts of violence perpetrated by Islamic State extremists had seemingly faded out of Australian public consciousness after years elapsed – fortunately – without any major events. 

That was until December 14, when 15 innocent people were allegedly shot dead and dozens more were wounded at Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach. 

IS – also known as ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) – is a transnational militant organisation that represents one of the most radical applications of Salafi Jihadism – an ideology that seeks to establish a global caliphate through armed struggle.

Authorities have declared the incident as a terror attack and will allege two IS flags were located at the scene. A propaganda video was later recovered during a raid of a property rented out by the alleged gunmen- father and son duo Sajid, 50, and Naveed Akram, 24, in the lead-up to the attack. 

Detectives are now investigating whether the father and son engaged in IS military training during a four-week trip to the Philippines in November, while they stayed in Mindanao, an island in the country’s south with a long history of Islamist insurgency.

While IS was linked to a series of high-profile Western attacks around a decade ago – such as the Paris and San Bernardino 2015 attacks and Brussels bombings and Orlando nightclub shooting in 2016 – there have been few incidents in Australia. 

The last well-known IS-implicated attack was the Lindt Cafe siege by Man Haron Monis, who held 18 people hostage at gunpoint for more than 16 hours in Martin Place, in Sydney’s CBD, on December 15, 2014. 

Monis, an Iranian-born radical self-styled sheikh, shot dead café manager Tori Johnson, before he was killed in a shootout with police. A second hostage, lawyer Katrina Dawson, was killed by the ricocheting bullets. 

During the attack, Monis claimed allegiance to IS but authorities later ruled he was a mentally unstable lone-wolf gunman with no direct connection to the terror group.

Although there had previously been no mass casualty IS-related attacks in Australia in the past decade, experts warn the threat never disappeared – it merely lay dormant. 

Associate Professor Josh Roose, a Deakin University expert on political and religious violent extremism and terrorism, says Islamic State ‘never really went away’. 

‘It was defeated militarily in 2017 and 2018, however, the core organisational and ideological aspects remain,’ he told Daily Mail.

‘Islamic State has been resurgent globally in recent months. They have been most active in Afghanistan and Southeast Asia, it has been resurgent in Mozambique and Somalia, and there was recently a targeted attack in the US. 

‘They are not only seeking to rebuild as a terror organisation, but the threat never really went away. 

‘In fact, it has been heightened in the context of the October 7 attack, subsequent Gaza conflict, and divided western societies, including Australia, that haven’t dealt adequately with Jihadi violence.’ 

Professor Adrian Cherney, an expert on terrorism at The University of Queensland, said the organisation has long remained active in other parts of the world. 

‘It continues to exert global influence in regions such as the Middle East and Africa and maintains a strong online presence,’ he said.

‘This influence has not diminished. Attacks are still carried out by ISIS and by individuals indoctrinated and inspired by its ideology.’

Here, Daily Mail takes a closer look into the Akrams’ background which police are now investigating. 

THE PHILIPPINES TRIP 

While Australian officials are investigating whether the father and son engaged in terror-related activities during their November trip, the Philippines government has quickly distanced itself from the attack. 

President Ferdinand Marcos says he ‘strongly rejects the sweeping statement and the misleading characterisation of the Philippines as an ISIS training hotspot’.

‘No evidence has been presented to support claims that the country was used for terrorist training,’ presidential spokeswoman Claire Castro said this week.

‘There is no validated report or confirmation that individuals [allegedly] involved in the Bondi Beach incident received any form of training in the Philippines.’

Associate Professor Roose said it’s vital authorities gather more information before drawing conclusions.

‘It’s important to find out more before ruling anything out,’ he said.

As investigations continue, Professor Cherney said: ‘More information will no doubt emerge regarding their travels to the Philippines.’

RECRUITMENT 

While Islamic State has not taken responsibility for the Bondi massacre, it has publicly expressed pride in the attack. 

Associate Professor Roose said the organisation’s ability to mobilise extremists across the world without direct contact is one of its defining features. 

‘The key part of the success of the Islamic State has been its ability to inspire lone acts of terrorism in its name globally,’ he said.

‘Islamic State is particularly popular or inspirational for extreme Salafi jihadists who draw upon its history of atrocity, its acts of violent terror in public spaces, and commitment to the establishment of a caliphate.’

Associate Professor Roose said IS extremists tend to be recruited by people they know, in face-to-face community settings, before utilising encrypted messaging apps to maintain contact.

He said the internet and social media also play a role in recruitment, especially in the case of lone actors, who may become radicalised and flock online to engage in content or meet other people. 

WHAT DOES AN ISIS SUSPECT LOOK LIKE?

Sajid Akram was an Indian national who had lived in Australia for more than two decades after migrating to the country in 1998 on a student visa.

His 24-year-old son, Naveed, was born and raised in Australia.  

Associate Professor Roose said the Salafi-Jihadist world is ‘highly multicultural’ and is not linked to certain ethnicities. 

Instead, he said it is ‘linked to extremist ideologies of Islam that promote a narrative of strength and the notion of a war on Islam and the promotion of a global caliphate’. 

However, Professor Roose said specific sociocultural factors may make an individual more susceptible to adopting IS beliefs. 

‘The traditional trajectory is that the first generation come out here and work their butt off to make a better life for their family… It is unusual that you would see first generation migrants get involved in a situation like this,’ he said.

‘But the second and third generations feel things more deeply – such as experiences of racism or ostracism – and those are powerful because these movements offer strength and inspiration to people who may be going no where in life.

‘[That is why] ISIS has gained the most traction among second and third generation, western born, individuals.

‘Their messaging and displays of aggression and attempts to display strength resonate with young men.’

HOW IS ISIS RELATED TO ANTISEMITISM?

Associate Professor Roose said ISIS attacks can be random by nature as the group and its followers do not exclusively target one demographic. 

‘They [IS extremists] are not purists. They are not following orders from a central hierarchy, but they are still carrying out the attack to advance the ideology,’ he said.

However, Associate Professor Roose said current political climates may play a role. 

‘In the context of everything happening in Australia at the moment, like the conflict in Gaza and the deep antisemitism that has been prevalent, this is an attack that the Jewish community has seen coming,’ he said. 

‘And it was a cowardly attack on a soft, relatively unprotected gathering’. 

‘Radical Sunni Islam promotes hatred of Jews as a prominent narrative.

‘As for why the two men [allegedly] targeted Jews, further details about their underlying motivations will become clearer as the investigation progresses.’

SHOULD AUSTRALIANS AVOID BIG EVENTS OVER THE FESTIVE PERIOD?

Associate Professor Roose said it was natural for people to be concerned in the wake of the Bondi massacre as terror attacks are designed to target our way of life. 

However, Professor Cherney said people should not be too deterred from carrying out normal activities over the festive period and beyond. 

‘People should continue to go out and not restrict their movements,’ he said. ‘For New Year’s Eve events, there will be an increased security and police presence.

‘Curtailing our movements is not the solution to this incident, though it is understandable that some people may feel apprehensive.’

However, Associate Professor Roose said it was important that Australians and follow advice from authorities actively monitoring risks and implementing preventative measures. 

In response to the tragedy, Sydneysiders have been urged to stay away from Bronte on Christmas Day due to overcrowding concerns, after more than 15,000 people congregated on the beach last year.

NSW Police have also warned people against partaking in mass protests, arguing ‘large gatherings may heighten tension or create further risk to the safety of the community’.

Meanwhile, other events such as Sydney’s annual Carols in the Domain, have been given the green light. 

Although people should not live in fear, Associate Professor Roose said there can be instances of individuals being inspired to undertake secondary attacks – though investigators will be monitoring for potential copycat attacks.

With that in mind, he said greater messaging is needed by authorities to to clearly communicate safety measures and reduce the strain on emergency services. 

‘It is critical that the government messaging demonstrates that it is safe to go out or not at the end of the day,’ he said. 

‘We are not hearing about those concerns being addressed at the moment by our politicians or our security measures.

‘I, myself, will be having a quiet and reflective Christmas.’