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Seven men with possible links to Islamic extremism will be monitored by police after their dramatic arrest but cannot be forced to return home.
The Victorian-based group was travelling in convoy through Sydney’s south-west when police dramatically rammed their cars and took them into custody on Thursday.
Heavily armed officers from the Tactical Operations Unit rammed at least one car and forced several men out by gunpoint near the intersection of George and Campbell streets in Liverpool on Thursday evening. A second vehicle was also intercepted.
One of seven men was reportedly under investigation by ASIO, according to intelligence sources cited by ABC News.
Police have said they are investigating whether the group had links to extremist Islamist ideology.

NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon refrained from verifying an alleged ASIO investigation but acknowledged that insights from allied law enforcement agencies led to the recent arrests.

NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon speaks to media during a press conference at NSW Parliament in Sydney,

While speaking about the arrests, Commissioner Lanyon did not confirm whether ASIO was investigating one of the detained individuals.

Source: AAP / Bianca De Marchi

“We are exploring radical Islamist extremism as a potential ideology motivating these individuals,” Lanyon stated on Friday.

On Friday afternoon, Lanyon conceded there was likely not enough evidence to lay charges
“The justification for their ongoing detention no longer exists,” he told reporters on Friday.

Lanyon clarified that there is no established connection between the group and the tragic terror attack at Bondi Beach, which resulted in 15 fatalities.

Earlier on Friday, Lanyon’s deputy said the men would “continue to be monitored whilst in New South Wales and we will work closely with our Victorian and Commonwealth law enforcement partners”.
NSW Police cannot usually detain people without charge for longer than six hours for the purposes of an investigation.

“If charges have not been laid, they are not under any bail conditions … we will continue to monitor these men while they remain in NSW,” he added.

What happened on Thursday?

Videos and images posted on social media showed tactical officers wearing camouflage uniforms and helmets standing over several men lying face down on the road and footpath.

The group were also shown on the ground with their hands zip-tied behind their backs as they were detained.

Heavily armed police in camoflauge uniforms stand beside men in who are seated on a footpath with their zip-tied behind their backs

Vision of the arrest was posted on social media. Source: ABC News

Speaking on 2GB radio on Friday morning, Hudson said officers moved in after receiving intelligence about a “possible violent act”.

He said police believed the group may have been travelling to Bondi, but no weapons were found inside the vehicles apart from a knife.
Hudson revealed the group had travelled from Victoria and both vehicles were registered there.

“We’re in continuous consultation with our Victorian counterparts at this stage in relation to their knowledge,” he said.

Are the arrests linked to Bondi?

NSW Police said they had not identified a connection between the group and the Bondi attack.
However, Hudson told ABC Radio that police believed the group had links to Islamic extremism.

Asked whether the men appeared to share an ideological adherence to Islamic extremism, Hudson said: “That’s our belief at this stage, yes.”
Hudson acknowledged footage of the dramatic arrests was confronting in the aftermath of Sunday’s attack, but said the police response was appropriate.
“Our tolerance for threat and risk is very low at the moment,” he said.
“If we receive information that any type of criminality or violent act is about to be committed, we will act.”
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