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Australian authorities have released seven men who were detained over fears they were planning an act of violence. The men are not currently facing any charges.
On Thursday, NSW Police said Tactical Operations officers carried out an operation in Sydney on information indicating “that a violent act was possibly being planned”. The agents intercepted two cars and detained seven men.
“Police acted quickly to prevent any plan from progressing. There is no immediate risk to community safety,” New South Wales Police said, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. “Investigations will continue to review all available evidence and the investigation into the matter remains ongoing.”
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Police inspect the scene of a shooting at Bondi Beach in Sydney on December 15, 2025. (David Gray/AFP via Getty Images)
New South Wales Police Deputy Commissioner Dave Hudson, who alleged on Friday that the men were inspired by the same ideology as the alleged Bondi Beach gunmen, defended the officers' tactics, saying they were “most appropriate to the circumstances,” according to the Sydney Morning Herald.
“It's a balance when investigating, for investigators and for counterterrorism police, between intercepting at a time when all risks and threats are mitigated, which we did yesterday, or waiting until a brief of evidence can be obtained against individuals with a bow that can be presented in court,” Hudson said.
Some reports indicated the men were traveling from Melbourne to Bondi Beach, the site of a deadly mass shooting during a Hanukkah celebration. However, speaking to reporters after the group's release, one of the men refuted the claims, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).
“No, why were we going there? Too much of a headache…it was too far from where we were anyway,” he said.
Police walk down a street after a shooting at Bondi Beach in Sydney on December 14, 2025. (DAVID GRAY/AFP via Getty Images)
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New South Wales Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said the men, who range in age from 19 to 24 and are from Victoria, will continue to be monitored while they are in New South Wales. Lanyon also said New South Wales Police would work with their police counterparts in Victoria.
One of the men in the group was being investigated by the Australian Security Intelligence Organization (ASIO), intelligence sources confirmed to the ABC.
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan said it was too early to speculate on why the group was traveling through the area.
“We have all seen the footage and images of what happened and we are grateful [NSW police] “For their quick action,” he said, according to The Guardian. “But at this time, there simply wasn't enough information to speculate as to why these individuals were traveling in this vehicle in this vicinity.”
A woman kneels and prays at a floral memorial to shooting victims outside the Bondi Pavilion in Sydney's Bondi Beach, Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, a day after a shooting. (Mark Baker/AP Photo)
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Australian media reported that one of the men attributed the incident to a “misunderstanding.” He also said the group told police they were “here on vacation.”
“They have their job to do, I don't blame them for anything, it was a misunderstanding,” the man said. He also rejected the idea that the group held extremist beliefs.
