Australian authorities said Tuesday that the father and son who carried out a mass shooting on Chanukah at Sydney’s Bondi Beach acted alone and were not part of a wider terrorist network, even though the attack was inspired by ISIS and deliberately targeted a Jewish event.

The shooting – carried out with rifles and shotguns – left 15 people dead and dozens injured in the deadliest terrorist attack in Australia’s history.

The attackers — Sajid Akram ym”s, 50, and his 24-year-old son, Naveed ym”s — had traveled to the southern Philippines weeks before the massacre, raising early suspicions they may have been linked to extremist groups operating in the region. But police said their investigation has so far found no evidence of outside direction or coordination.

“These individuals are alleged to have acted alone,” said Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett. “There is no evidence to suggest these alleged offenders were part of a broader terrorist cell, or were directed by others to carry out the attack.”

Barrett said investigators are continuing to examine the purpose of the pair’s trip to Davao in the Philippines, where surveillance footage showed them largely staying inside a budget hotel. “I want to be clear,” she said. “I am not suggesting they were there for tourism.”

Police believe the father and son meticulously planned the attack over several months. Authorities have released images showing the pair training with shotguns in rural Australia and confirmed they recorded a video in October denouncing “Zionists” while seated in front of a homemade ISIS flag.

Sajid Akram, an Indian national who entered Australia on a visa in 1998, was shot dead by police during the attack. His son Naveed, an Australian citizen, remains in custody and faces 15 counts of murder along with numerous additional terrorism and firearms charges.

The revelations come as Sydney prepares to ring in the new year under heavy security. New Year’s Eve celebrations will pause at 11 p.m. Wednesday for a minute of silence to honor the Bondi victims, with police deploying heavily armed patrols across the city.

New South Wales Premier Chris Minns said the increased security posture reflects the gravity of the attack and lessons learned from it. Two police officers were wounded in the Bondi shooting, and first responders were initially outgunned by the attackers’ long-range weapons.

“That is a clear and deliberate message from the police that safety is the number one priority,” Minns said. “Given we’ve just had the worst terrorism event in Australia’s history inside the last month, it would be self-evidently the case that the security needs to change.”

Minns acknowledged concerns about the visible militarization of policing but said public safety must come first. “Far more families will feel safer in that environment,” he said.

More than one million people are expected to gather along the waterfront for Sydney’s iconic fireworks display. Minns said he was determined that fear would not dictate public life.

“It’s an opportunity to thumb our nose at the terrorists and their ideology,” he said. “This is an opportunity to live your life and show defiance.”

As part of the commemoration, four illuminated images of a menorah will be projected onto the pylons of the Sydney Harbor Bridge, Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore said. The city altered earlier plans to project a generic peace symbol after consultations with Jewish community leaders.

“I continue to listen to the community to ensure the acknowledgement of the horrific attack at Bondi Beach during New Year’s Eve is appropriate,” Moore said.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)