Dr Clarke Jones: Australian National University criminologist on the investigations into the Bondi shooters' trip to the Philippines

Questions remain about the significance of the Bondi's terrorists' recent trip to the Philippines. 

Sunday's terror attack at a Jewish celebration claimed 15 lives - and 20 people are still in hospital. 

The father and son gunmen spent much of November in a Philippines region known as a 'hotbed of Islamic extremism'.

But Australian National University criminologist Dr Clarke Jones says it's an interesting link. 

"When there was a connection to the recent terrorist attack in Bondi, I was, well, surprised there was some sort of link to the Philippines - but not surprised that terrorism is probably still active." 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Bryan Bridge.

Speaker 2 (00:01):
So investigators in Australia looking very closely now at these
suspected bond I shooters and their recent trip to the
Philippines spent most of November there, they traveled to a
region that's known to be a hotbed of Islamic extremism.
Doctor Clark Jones, an expert on extremism, also worked in
Philippine prisons and joins me this evening, good evening, good evening.

(00:24):
What do we need to know about Islamic extremism in
the Philippines And are the ISIS training camps there? What's
going on?

Speaker 1 (00:33):
We've got to be careful, you know, how we expand
this I think Look, I would say I wouldn't class
it as a hotbed for violin the extreamism any longer.
There's been some very successful operations by the Armed Forces
of the Philippines, the Philippine National Police and foreign counterparts
at addressing the threat of terrorism. That said, from my

(00:55):
current experience, I still work in the prison system there,
and from what I know of that there are still
active cells in the Philippines, such as Islaming State East
Asia ABISIF and other small elements operating. So when there
was a connection to the recent atrocities or terrorist attack

(01:15):
in Bondi. I was well surprised there was some sort
of link to the Philippines, but not surprised that terrorism
is probably still active, but not to the scale that
I've heard in some media sources calling it a hot
bed for terrorism.

Speaker 2 (01:31):
Right when you say active, what do you mean.

Speaker 1 (01:35):
That they still still have the ideological will to attack
government forces? Last year, I think there were twenty one
small scale attacks by various groups in the Philippines. I
know that it's with some that are incarcerated. They're still
very very active, So they still have a will to

(01:57):
cause harm, to cause terrorst finance, So you know that
hasn't that hasn't gone away. But the Philippines is different
from some other countries in that it's it's very socio
economic driven rather than religious driven. There's a lot of
people that haves and the haves not. You know, people

(02:19):
a lot of inequality of those in Muslim inda now,
so there are different drivers. It's entwined with criminal behavior,
quitting up for RANSO and so forth, clan conflict, so
it's not straightforward just to talk about extremism, radicalization and
the terror. Terrorism what we know about.

Speaker 2 (02:38):
Really appreciate that thanks to you analysis doctor Clark Jones,
that Reshaped Justice Group has spent time in Philippine prisons.
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