Inside the seedy hotel of alleged Bondi gunmen as authorities probe Philippines trip before terror attack
A mysterious 27‑day stay by the men who later carried out a deadly shooting at Bondi Beach brings new questions about how they prepared for the attack.
According to hotel staff, the father and son, Naveed Akram and Sajid Akram, did not leave the tiny room they rented for most of their time there.
They were on short fast‑food runs and otherwise stayed inside, taking only a few hours at a time to venture out of the building.
The pair first flew from Sydney to Manila on November 1—Sajid using his Indian passport, Naveed his Australian one.
From Manila they connected to Davao, where they checked into the budget GV Hotel in the city’s Poblacion District, a historic downtown area that’s more known for cheap accommodations and nightlife than for tourism.
They remained in the hotel until November 28 before heading back toward Sydney via Manila again.
The Davao province sits in Mindanao, which has long been seen as an Islamic militant stronghold in a predominantly Catholic nation.
The reasons why the Akrams chose a cheap hotel in an area frequented by jihadists are unclear, but officials are probing whether the men undertook military‑style training while staying there.
“you don’t go to the southern Philippines, a known hotspot for jihadist terrorism, a month before carrying out the deadliest terror attack in Australian history, to sit in your room and eat fast food,” Mr Roose told news.com.au.
“He thinks it’s very likely they were there either for a meeting or to conduct training.”
He added, “It could be the world’s biggest coincidence that they’ve gone there to a hotel that happens to be in an area known for Islamic separatism and jihadism, but given the proximity to the attack it warrants significant further investigation.”
Hotel staff said the Akrams arrived with a large suitcase and a backpack each. They paid an upfront seven‑day deposit in cash for a room with two single beds, an old television and an ensuite bathroom, and later extended their stay on three separate occasions. The men rarely spoke to staff and only once asked where to buy a Durian fruit.
“They never left the city… because we saw them going in and out of the hotel every day,” the receptionist noted.
Davao police has reportedly taken a hard drive and CCTV footage from the hotel and questioned employees, but Filipino authorities have brushed aside indications that the men were in the Philippines to prepare for a terror attack.
National Security Adviser Eduardo Ano has stated that no credible evidence shows the pair received training, and that a brief visit would not support such allegations. He added that Philippine security forces have weakened ISIS‑affiliated groups significantly since the 2017 Marawi siege.
Following the Bondi massacre, police found Islamic State flags and improvised explosive devices in the cars used by Naveed and Sajid. While the group took credit for inspiring the attack and praised the gunmen as “heroes,” it did not formally claim responsibility.
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