Heavily-armed tactical officers intercepted two cars in Liverpool, travelling from Victoria to Sydney on Thursday afternoon, just days after a terror attack claimed 15 innocent lives.
On Friday morning, it’s been reported seven men are continuing to “assist police with inquiries”.
“Tactical Operations police responded to information received that a violent act was possibly being planned,” a spokesperson for NSW Police has said.
“Police subsequently intercepted two cars as part of the investigation. As investigations continue, seven men are assisting police with their inquiries.
“At this point in time, police have not identified any connection to the current police investigation of the Bondi terror attack.”
While police sources confirm that they believe the men share “ideological” links to the Bondi gunmen, NSW Deputy Police Commissioner Dave Hudson stressed, in an interview with ABC Sydney, that there was nothing to suggest the group arrested in Liverpool shared any deeper connection with accused Bondi killers Naveed and Sajid Akram.
Footage captured by bystanders in Liverpool shows the moment police intercepted the car, pulling at least one man into an alleyway at gunpoint.
A second car was seen being intercepted as well, and five men were pulled from the vehicle and handcuffed.
One of the cars had Victorian plates and, according to VicRoads, the registration has been cancelled or suspended.
Speaking to 2GB radio, Deputy NSW Police Commissioner Dave Hudson confirmed that the individuals had driven from Victoria to Sydney.
Victorian premier Jacinta Allan has said she is seeking further information about the arrests in Liverpool.
At a press conference, Allan said: “At this stage, Victoria police are engaging with their counterparts in New South Wales. The information is not fully available at this stage because the investigations are ongoing. We’ve all seen the footage and the images of what has occurred and thank [NSW police] for their swift action.”
“But at this stage, there was just not enough information to speculate on why these people were travelling in this vehicle in this vicinity.”
As part of Operation Shelter, NSW police are continuing to patrol Bondi and other key locations.
The Operation Shelter commander, Assistant Commissioner Stephen Hegarty has said that along with conducting these proactive patrols, they are “working closely with locals in Sydney’s eastern suburbs and across the state.”
“Every Australian, no matter their race or religion, should be able to live without prejudice or discrimination.”
“There is no place in New South Wales for hate-related crimes or discrimination of any kind; anyone with intent to incite or cause fear, harm, or commit any criminal offence will be dealt with accordingly.”
Speaking on Thursday morning, Australian Federal Police (AFP) Commissioner Krissy Barrett said more raids were to come in the wake of the terror attack at Bondi.
“In the coming days, the New South Wales Joint Counter Terrorism Team will execute further search warrants to support our investigation,” said Barrett.
“There is a lot of material to be examined, and the AFP continues to work with both domestic and international partners to build a more complete picture of the movements and who the alleged offenders had contact with, both in Australia and offshore.”