NSW Police say seven men arrested in Sydney’s south-west on Thursday are believed to hold “extremist Islamic ideology” and may have been travelling towards Bondi, though no specific intent has been established.
The men, who had travelled from interstate and were known to Victorian Police, were arrested in Liverpool after tactical officers rammed two vehicles.
Deputy Commissioner David Hudson said only a knife was recovered and no firearms were found.
“We have some indication that Bondi was one of the locations they might be visiting yesterday but with no specific intent in mind or proven at this stage,” he said.
When asked about extremist links, Hudson added: “That’s our belief at this stage, yes.”
The group was detained under rarely used terrorism laws, with Hudson saying police acted early because “our tolerance for risk and threshold for risk is… very low at the moment following last Sunday’s atrocities”.
Source: ABC News
