Bondi terror attack took place amid global spike in foiled IS-inspired plots, researchers find

Australian counterterrorism experts observe December shooting came amid years of messaging from terror group urging followers to act ‘on their own initiative’ Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast The Bondi beach terror attack occurred amid an international spike of anti-western plots in December last year that appeared to be “inspired or instigated” by Islamic State, a new report has found, with many of them targeting holiday events such as Christmas markets. In research published by the West Point Combating Terrorism Center in its publication Sentinel on Thursday, Australian counterterrorism experts Andrew Zammit and Levi West examined Islamic State’s strategic shifts and jihadi tactics in Australia prior to the alleged antisemitic terrorist attack. They observed that the shooting at Bondi came amid a number of reports of foiled plots in December 2025 aimed at tourist targets internationally - including in Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, the US and Turkey. Although those attacks are yet to be publicly assessed for central coordination by IS, the experts wrote, the plots occurred in the wake of consistent messaging by the terror group over the past two year