The massacre at Bondi Beach in Sydney has left Australia reeling, but its implications stretch far beyond just one city or one nation. What occurred during a Hanukkah celebration wasn’t merely an isolated act of violence; it starkly highlights how the ideology of the so-called Islamic State (ISIS) continues to spread across borders, long after the group lost its territorial stronghold in the Middle East.

Australian authorities have made it abundantly clear that the attack was motivated by extremist beliefs. The discovery of homemade Islamic State flags and improvised explosive devices in the attackers’ vehicle suggests a deep ideological commitment rather than a spur-of-the-moment act. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s confirmation of these findings underscores a harsh reality that many policymakers have been reluctant to acknowledge: ISIS didn’t simply vanish with the collapse of its caliphate in 2019; it adapted and persisted. And its message travels.

The backgrounds of the attackers reveal just how complicated modern radicalization can be. One of them had spent decades in Australia after moving there for work, keeping only minimal contact with family back home. Relatives in India have mentioned that they had no idea he held any extremist views, which really shows how radicalization often happens in isolation these days. It’s often driven by online propaganda and global networks, rather than by obvious connections or public actions.

Now, investigators are looking into the attackers’ recent trips to the southern Philippines, a place known for its history of Islamist militancy. Although local officials claim that groups like Abu Sayyaf have been significantly weakened, experts caution that remote and poorly governed areas can still offer ideological support, training, or inspiration. Even if these trips don’t lead to direct planning for attacks, they can still strengthen a commitment to violent ideologies that have already been shaped online.

The Bondi Beach massacre is particularly chilling........

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