Inside the seedy hotel of alleged Bondi gunmen as authorities probe Philippines trip before terror attack

Mystery surrounds a month-long stay by the alleged Bondi gunmen at a seedy Filipino hotel, where staff say they binged on fast food and barely left their room.

Before father and son Naveed Akram and Sajid Akram allegedly killed 15 people at Bondi Beach in an Islamic State-inspired attack on the Jewish community, they holed up in the budget GV Hotel in Davao for 27 days.

First they flew from Sydney to Manila on November 1 – Sajid on his Indian passport and Naveed using his Australian passport.

Then they took a connecting flight to Davao and checked into the hotel, where they remained until November 28, flying back to Sydney via Manila.

Mindanao province, where Davao is located, has long been considered a hub for Islamic militant groups in the majority-Catholic country.

It remains unclear why Sajid and Naveed chose to stay at the hotel in the Poblacion District. Not typically a tourist draw, the area is the city’s historic downtown, known for government offices, cheap lodgings and adult night-life.

Australian authorities are investigating whether the pair undertook military-style training during their stay.

A receptionist at the $24-a-night GV Hotel told The Australian they seldom left room 315, only venturing out, it seemed, to buy fried chicken and other fast food.

Josh Roose, an expert in extremism from Deakin University, believed it was highly likely the men were there as part of their alleged preparations for the attack on Bondi.

“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.

“I think it’s very likely they were there either for a meeting or to conduct training.

“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.”

The GV Hotel staff member said the men arrived with one large suitcase and a backpack each.

They paid an initial seven days in advance in cash for the tiny room, furnished with two single beds, an old television and an ensuite bathroom.

They then extended their stay three times, paying cash each time for a further seven days.

They only left the hotel for one or two hours at a time and hardly spoke to staff, except on one occasion when they asked where they could buy a Durian fruit.

“From the time they arrived until the time they checked out, they never left the city … because we saw them going in and out of the hotel every day,” she said.

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“We thought they probably had a business here in the city since they would go out and just come back again.”

Davao police have visited the hotel, questioning staff and taking away a hard drive and CCTV footage, but Filipino authorities have played down suggestions that the men were in the country to prepare for the terror attack.

“There is no valid report or confirmation the two received any form of training in the Philippines,” National Security Adviser Eduardo Ano said in a statement on Wednesday.

“A mere visit does not support allegations of terrorist training and the duration of their stay would not have allowed for meaningful or structured training.

“Since the 2017 Marawi siege, Philippine security forces have significantly degraded ISIS­affiliated groups in the country.”

Police say after the Bondi massacre they found Islamic State flags and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in the car used by Naveed and Sajid.

Islamic State appeared to take credit overnight for inspiring the attack, hailing the gunmen as “heroes,” but it stopped short of claiming responsibility.