<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The seven men arrested following a dramatic operation in Sydney's south-west yesterday will soon be released if there is not enough evidence, police say.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Five men were arrested after a car was rammed by tactical police on the corner of George and Campbell streets in Liverpool, just across the road from a busy Westfield shopping centre, with two men stopped in a second car nearby.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Police said they had received information that "a violent act was possibly being planned" but they had not found any connection "to the current police investigation into the </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/bondi-shooting" rel="" target="" title="Bondi terror attack"><span>Bondi terror attack</span></a><span>".</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"They haven't been released at this stage, we're still reviewing evidence to determine whether there's a justification to detain them," NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It's a thorough investigation. We will have to release the men if we don't have sufficient evidence."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Lanyon confirmed the men travelled from Victoria, and investigators were "certainly looking at" radical Islamic extremism as "one of the ideologies" potentially motivating the men who were known to Victorian Police.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"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.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/seven-men-arrested-in-liverpool-in-sydney-could-soon-be-released-police-say/dc40cceb-111a-4dd3-aa67-44e4984e8658" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"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."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>LIVE UPDATES:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/bondi-beach-shooting-live-updates-survivors-return-to-bondi-matilda-others-laid-to-rest-anger-grows-at-prime-minister-anthony-albanese/cbb696eb-bd84-4b02-96c5-6ddbee837ae9" target="_blank"><strong><span>Incredible scenes as hundreds paddle out at Bondi Beach</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>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.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"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.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>When asked whether the men had links to "extremist Islamic ideology", Hudson replied: "That's our belief at this stage, yes".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Hudson earlier told 2GB radio the potential of the men travelling to Bondi was part of the reason for the police intervention.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"That did cause us some concern, obviously, and was one of the escalating factors that caused the interdiction yesterday," Hudson said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"But I can confirm no firearms or weapons were located at the vehicle stop."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Police have not established any definitive link to the individuals involved in the Bondi mass shooting at this stage.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"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.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"So whilst there's no definitive links, that's part of our investigation which hopefully gets better defined by the end of the day."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Police applied for a Commonwealth detention order, which allows officers to hold the men for 24 hours without charge.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/bondi-beach-shooting-investigations-continue-into-terrorist-father-and-son-phillipines-trip/44fb98ca-1bb0-484d-b790-5b895d7a633a" target="_blank"><strong><span>Inside the Akrams' $22 a night Philippine hotel</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>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.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It appeared that the men's car had been intercepted and rammed to a stop.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>One of the arrested men was seen on a stretcher, with a bloodied face and bandages around his head.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Tactical Operations police responded to information received that a violent act was possibly being planned," NSW Police said in a statement.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Police subsequently intercepted two cars as part of the investigation.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"As investigations continue, seven men are assisting police with their inquiries.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"At this point in time, police have not identified any connection to the current police investigation of the Bondi terror attack."</span><strong><span></span></strong><span></span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f"><em><strong><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></strong></em></a><em><strong><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727"><em><strong><span>Apple App Store</span></strong></em></a><span> </span><em><strong><span>and</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1"><em><strong><span>Google Play</span></strong></em></a><em><strong><span>.</span></strong></em></div></div>