Police believe seven men arrested in Sydney raid had 'extremist Islamic ideology'

Friday, 19 December 2025 09:18

The men had driven from Victoria before being intercepted in Sydney's south-west.

Police believe seven men arrested in a dramatic operation in Sydney's south-west yesterday may have had similar extremist ideological beliefs to the Bondi attackers.

Five men were arrested after a car was rammed by tactical police on the corner of George and Campbell streets in Liverpool, just across the road from a busy Westfield shopping centre, with two men stopped in a second car nearby.

Police said they had received information that "a violent act was possibly being planned" but they had not found any connection "to the current police investigation into the Bondi terror attack".

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This morning, NSW Police Deputy Commissioner David Hudson said told the ABC the men may have had shared beliefs with the father and son behind Sunday's terror attack and confirmed the cars may have been travelling to Bondi.

"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 whether the men had links to "extremist Islamic ideology", Hudson replied: "That's our belief at this stage, yes".

Hudson earlier told 2GB radio the potential of the men travelling to Bondi was part of the reason for the police intervention.

"That did cause us some concern, obviously, and was one of the escalating factors that caused the interdiction yesterday," Hudson said.

"But I can confirm no firearms or weapons were located at the vehicle stop."

Police have not established any definitive link to the individuals involved in the Bondi mass shooting at this stage.

"However, there is an environment that is quite small, and certain ideologies and beliefs are limited to a very small group of people," Hudson said.

"So whilst there's no definitive links, that's part of our investigation which hopefully gets better defined by the end of the day."

Hudson confirmed the men are still in custody while police conduct further investigations.

Police applied for a Commonwealth detention order, which allows officers to hold the men for 24 hours without charge.

He also confirmed the two cars intercepted as part of the operation yesterday came from Victoria.

Video footage from the operation shows police – armed with long-arm guns, and wearing camouflage fatigues, body armour and helmets – arresting, searching and handcuffing the men yesterday afternoon.

It appeared that the men's car had been intercepted and rammed to a stop.

One of the arrested men was seen on a stretcher, with a bloodied face and bandages around his head.

"Tactical Operations police responded to information received that a violent act was possibly being planned," NSW Police said in a statement.

"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."

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