In a recent development from Australia, seven men who had been detained under suspicion of plotting violence have been released without charges. This decision follows a tense operation led by the New South Wales (NSW) Police.

The incident unfolded when Tactical Operations officers, acting on intelligence suggesting a potential violent act, intercepted two vehicles in Sydney. Seven individuals were taken into custody during this intervention. According to a statement from NSW Police, swift action was necessary to thwart any potential threat, assuring the public that there is no immediate danger. The police continue to gather and review evidence as part of their ongoing investigation.

On the ground, the scene was reminiscent of high-stakes drama, with police activity heightened at Bondi Beach, a location that recently witnessed a shooting incident. Images from the scene showed officers examining the area with a sense of urgency.

Speaking on the matter, NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Dave Hudson highlighted that the men shared ideologies similar to those involved in the Bondi Beach shooting. He defended the tactics employed by the officers, emphasizing their suitability for the situation at hand. The Sydney Morning Herald reported Hudson’s remarks, which underscored the necessity of the police’s proactive approach.

NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Dave Hudson, who alleged on Friday that the men were inspired by the same ideology as the suspected Bondi Beach gunmen, defended officers’ tactics, saying they were “the most appropriate for the circumstances,” according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

“It’s a balance when you investigate, for investigators and for the counter-terrorism police, as to interdicting at a point in time where you mitigate all risk and threat, which we did yesterday, or waiting until you can get a brief of evidence against individuals with a bow on it that you can present to court,” Hudson said.

Some reports indicated that the men were traveling from Melbourne to Bondi Beach, the site of a deadly mass shooting at a Hanukkah celebration. However, when speaking to reporters after the group’s release, one of the men refuted the claims, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).

“No, why would we go there? Too much headache… it was too far from where we were anyway,” he said.

Police walk on a street after a shooting incident at Bondi Beach in Sydney on December 14, 2025. (DAVID GRAY / AFP via Getty Images)

NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said that the men, whose ages range from 19 to 24 and are from Victoria, will continue to be monitored while in New South Wales. Lanyon also said that NSW Police would be working with their law enforcement counterparts in Victoria.

One of the men in the group was under investigation 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 in the area.

“We’ve all seen the footage and the images of what has occurred and thank [NSW police] for their swift action,” she said, according to The Guardian. “But at this stage, there was just not enough information to speculate on why these people were traveling in this vehicle in this vicinity.”

A woman kneels and prays at a flower memorial to shooting victims outside the Bondi Pavilion at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, a day after a shooting. (Mark Baker/AP Photo)

Australian outlets reported that one of the men chalked the incident up to a “misunderstanding.” He also said the group told police that they were “here for a holiday.”

“They have their job to do, I don’t blame them for nothing, it was a misunderstanding,” the man said. He also rejected the idea that the group held extremist beliefs.