Seven men detained by New South Wales police under special counter-terrorism powers have been released without charge after 24 hours in custody, with authorities conceding the justification for their detention had evaporated.
Dramatic Arrest and Swift Release
The group, all aged between 19 and 24 and based in Victoria, were arrested in a dramatic police operation in Liverpool, south-west Sydney, on Thursday. Tactical officers rammed their vehicles at a busy intersection, believing the men, who were travelling in convoy, might have been heading to the scene of the recent Bondi Junction massacre or planning a violent act at other locations.
NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon confirmed the men were held under a special warrant approved by a magistrate, which extended the usual six-hour detention limit for investigations. No firearms were found in their cars, though one knife was seized. By 4pm on Friday, all seven were released from Liverpool police station.
‘We Did Nothing Wrong,’ Say Detained Men
Speaking to reporters after their release, the men vehemently denied any links to Islamic extremism or any wrongdoing. They claimed they were simply on holiday in Sydney and were driving to an Airbnb rental when intercepted.
"We didn't do nothing wrong, there was nothing found on us," one of the men stated. Another alleged he was injured during the arrest, saying, "My head got smashed, I was bleeding all over my head. They were like 'bloody terrorists'." The group suggested they were targeted due to their appearance and religion.
Their Sydney lawyer, Ahmed Dib, indicated the men are considering legal action over their detention.
Police Justify Action Despite Lack of Charges
Commissioner Lanyon defended the police response, stating they acted on information from another agency. He said the potential risk of a violent offence was such that police "were not prepared to tolerate the risk." While a possible link to Islamic extremist ideology was investigated, Lanyon stressed there was no definitive connection between this group and the father-and-son gunmen accused of the Bondi attacks.
"The justification for their ongoing detention no longer exists," Lanyon told reporters on Friday. He confirmed the men, all known to Victorian police, would not face bail conditions but would be monitored while they remain in NSW.
NSW Premier Chris Minns supported the police's decisive action, stating, "[The police are] not mucking around and I don't think anyone in NSW wants them to mucking around," while acknowledging the concern that the Bondi shootings could embolden other extremists.
