Seven men taken into custody during a high-stakes operation in Sydney’s southwest could be released soon unless sufficient evidence is found, police have announced.

The arrests occurred after tactical police rammed a vehicle at the intersection of George and Campbell Streets in Liverpool, directly opposite a bustling Westfield shopping center. Additionally, two other men were apprehended in a nearby vehicle.

“At this point, they remain in custody as we continue to evaluate the evidence to assess whether there is a valid reason to keep them detained,” stated NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon.

“This investigation is comprehensive. If we fail to gather enough evidence, we will have to release them,” he added.

Commissioner Lanyon also noted that the men had traveled from Victoria, and authorities are closely examining the possibility of radical Islamic extremism as a potential ideological motive, given that the men were already known to Victorian Police.

“Whilst this specific threat posed by the males is unknown, I can say that the potential of a violent offence being committed was such that we were not prepared to tolerate the risk and interdict accordingly,” Lanyon said.

“The information received was that Bondi may have been one of a number of locations that the males were intending to attend, but the reason for attending is unknown.”

This morning, NSW Police Deputy Commissioner David Hudson told the ABC the men may have 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.”

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

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.”