Australia's Home Affairs Minister, Tony Burke, has declared his "full confidence" in the nation's domestic intelligence agency, despite growing scrutiny over how two men accused of a deadly terror attack in Bondi were able to travel internationally beforehand.
Minister Defends Asio's Decisions
The statement comes as authorities confirm that Naveed Akram, 24, and his 50-year-old father, Sajid, travelled to the Philippines between 1 and 28 November last year. Sajid Akram was shot dead by police during the attack on Sunday, while Naveed has since been charged with 59 offences, including 15 counts of murder.
Burke revealed he had personally reviewed the Australian Security and Intelligence Organisation's (Asio) dealings with Naveed Akram, who first came to the agency's attention in October 2019 for alleged links to individuals in a reported Islamic State cell.
"I've gone through the different decisions that have been taken in this respect, and I have confidence of the decisions that [were] made," Burke told the ABC's 7.30 programme on Wednesday. He emphasised he was not playing "political games," expressing confidence in decisions made under both current and previous governments.
Community Mourns as Funerals Continue
The Bondi Jewish community is preparing for another day of funerals for the 15 victims of the attack. Services were held on Wednesday for rabbis Eli Schlanger and Yaakov Levitan, with a funeral for 10-year-old Matilda, the youngest victim, among those scheduled next.
Of the 38 people injured in the shooting, 17 remain in hospital, with one person in a critical condition. The attack has drawn international condemnation, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blaming "rampant antisemitism" and criticising the Australian government's policies.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, speaking at a multi-faith memorial at St Mary's Cathedral in Sydney, called the attack "pure evil" and urged national unity. "Our nation is stronger than the cowards who seek to divide us," he said, calling on Australians to stand with the Jewish community.
Questions Over Philippines Trip and Agency Resources
The suspects' destination in the Philippines, Davao city on the island of Mindanao, is in a region known as a centre for pro-Islamic State militant groups. Philippine police reported the pair rarely left their hotel during the four-week visit.
Burke declined to specify whether Asio was still monitoring Akram after the initial 2019 investigation or if the Philippines trip triggered a travel alert, citing operational secrecy. He defended the resources available to Asio and the Australian Federal Police (AFP), stating both agencies "have more resources than they have ever had."
The minister also addressed the recent reversal of a 2022 decision to move Asio and the AFP from the Home Affairs department to the Attorney-General's department, saying he returned them to Home Affairs to ensure "seamless" information-sharing.
In related developments, Asio director general Mike Burgess highlighted concerning rhetoric from groups like Hizb ut-Tahrir, warning their "anti-Israel rhetoric is fuelling and normalising wider antisemitic narratives." Burke stated the government would ban the group if it met the legal threshold, a step already taken by the UK in 2024.
