India is set to send a joint investigation team to Australia to assist in the probe into the Bondi Beach terror attack in Sydney, with a key focus on one of the attacker Sajid Akram’s Indian passport link and his visit to India three to four years ago, sources said. The decision to formally join the investigation follows inputs that the suspect held an Indian passport, triggering jurisdictional and intelligence-sharing requirements between the two countries.
The Telangana Police on Tuesday said Akram, 50, was a resident of Tolichowki in Hyderabad but visited India only a few times. The police said they have “no adverse record against Akram during his stay in India prior to his departure in 1998".
The Telangana Police said, “Akram had limited contact with his family in Hyderabad over the past 27 years. He visited India on six occasions after migrating to Australia, primarily for family-related reasons such as property matters and visits to his elderly parents. It is understood that he did not travel to India even at the time of his father’s demise."
“The family members have expressed no knowledge of his radical mindset or activities, nor of the circumstances that led to his radicalisation. The factors that led to the radicalisation of Sajid Akram and his son, Naveed appear to have no connection with India or any local influence in Telangana," the police said.
According to sources familiar with the matter, the Indian team is expected to include officers from State Police units and central intelligence agencies. Their immediate task will be to coordinate with Australian authorities to examine the attacker’s background, travel history, and ideological motivations, particularly in light of concerns over targeted violence against Jews.
Sources said investigators are paying close attention to the suspect’s earlier travel to India, which is believed to have taken place three to four years ago, reportedly to meet his mother. Indian agencies want clarity on the purpose of that visit, the locations he travelled to, individuals he met, and whether the trip played any role in his radicalisation, recruitment, or operational planning.
A central objective of the Indian team is to assess Akram’s ideological leanings. This includes examining the possibility of extremist radicalisation, online indoctrination pathways, and any alignment with global Islamist narratives. Investigators are also probing whether the attack was driven by organised anti-Jewish hatred or inspired by international propaganda networks linked to anti-Israel movements.
While authorities have not ruled out the possibility of lone-wolf radicalisation, they are also exploring whether the suspect had any formal or informal links with terror outfits. One of the most sensitive lines of inquiry is whether Akram maintained contacts, sympathisers, or dormant support networks — including sleeper cells — within India.
Indian agencies are already reviewing Akram’s digital footprint, financial trails, and potential ideological handlers. This includes scrutiny of online activity, encrypted communications, money transfers, and associations that could indicate external influence or logistical support.
Sources emphasised that India’s participation in the investigation is precautionary but necessary, given the passport link and the past visit. The joint probe aims to establish whether the Bondi attack was an isolated act of violence or part of a broader pattern of transnational radicalisation with possible connections extending beyond Australia.
Source: News18