Australian authorities release 7 men detained over possible violent plot in wake of Bondi Beach shooting

Australian authorities person released 7 men who were detained implicit concerns that they were readying an enactment of violence. The men are not presently facing immoderate charges.

On Thursday, New South Wales (NSW) Police said Tactical Operations officers carried retired an cognition successful Sydney implicit accusation indicating "that a convulsive enactment was perchance being planned." Officers intercepted 2 cars and detained 7 men.

"Police acted rapidly to forestall the advancement of immoderate plan. There is nary contiguous information hazard to the community," NSW Police said, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. "Investigations volition proceed to reappraisal each disposable grounds and an probe into the substance remains ongoing."

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Police inspect astatine the country of a shooting astatine Bondi Beach successful Sydney connected Dec. 15, 2025. (David Gray/AFP via Getty Images)

NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Dave Hudson, who alleged connected Friday that the men were inspired by the aforesaid ideology arsenic the suspected Bondi Beach gunmen, defended officers' tactics, saying they were "the astir due for the circumstances," according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

"It’s a equilibrium erstwhile you investigate, for investigators and for the counter-terrorism police, arsenic to interdicting astatine a constituent successful clip wherever you mitigate each hazard and threat, which we did yesterday, oregon waiting until you tin get a little of grounds against individuals with a bow connected it that you tin contiguous to court," Hudson said.

Some reports indicated that the men were traveling from Melbourne to Bondi Beach, the tract of a deadly wide shooting astatine a Hanukkah celebration. However, erstwhile speaking to reporters aft the group's release, 1 of the men refuted the claims, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).

"No, wherefore would we spell there? Too overmuch headache… it was excessively acold from wherever we were anyway," helium said.

Police locomotion connected a thoroughfare aft a shooting incidental astatine Bondi Beach successful Sydney connected December 14, 2025.  (DAVID GRAY / AFP via Getty Images)

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NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said that the men, whose ages scope from 19 to 24 and are from Victoria, volition proceed to beryllium monitored portion successful New South Wales. Lanyon besides said that NSW Police would beryllium moving with their instrumentality enforcement counterparts successful Victoria.

One of the men successful the radical was nether probe by the Australian Security Intelligence Organization (ASIO), quality sources confirmed to the ABC.

Victorian premier Jacinta Allan said it was excessively aboriginal to speculate connected wherefore the radical was traveling successful the area.

"We’ve each seen the footage and the images of what has occurred and convey [NSW police] for their swift action," she said, according to The Guardian. "But astatine this stage, determination was conscionable not capable accusation to speculate connected wherefore these radical were traveling successful this conveyance successful this vicinity."

A pistillate kneels and prays astatine a angiosperm memorial to shooting victims extracurricular the Bondi Pavilion astatine Sydney's Bondi Beach, Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, a time aft a shooting. (Mark Baker/AP Photo)

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Australian outlets reported that 1 of the men chalked the incidental up to a "misunderstanding." He besides said the radical told constabulary that they were "here for a holiday."

"They person their occupation to do, I don’t blasted them for nothing, it was a misunderstanding," the antheral said. He besides rejected the thought that the radical held extremist beliefs.