Seven men with possible links to Islamic extremism will be monitored by police after their dramatic arrest but cannot be forced to return home.
The Victorian-based group was travelling in convoy through Sydney's south-west when police dramatically rammed their cars and took them into custody on Thursday.
Heavily armed officers from the Tactical Operations Unit rammed at least one car and forced several men out by gunpoint near the intersection of George and Campbell streets in Liverpool on Thursday evening. A second vehicle was also intercepted.
One of seven men was reportedly under investigation by ASIO, according to intelligence sources cited by ABC News.
Police have said they are investigating whether the group had links to extremist Islamist ideology.
NSW Police commissioner Mal Lanyon would not confirm the reported ASIO investigation but said information from law enforcement partners prompted the arrest.
NSW Police commissioner Mal Lanyon declined to confirm if one the arrested men was being investigated by ASIO. Source: AAP / Bianca De Marchi
Earlier, deputy NSW Police commissioner Dave Hudson said officers moved in after receiving intelligence about a "possible violent act", adding that police believed the group had links to Islamic extremism.
"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 interdicted accordingly," Hudson 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."
Lanyon said there was no confirmed link between the group and the Bondi Beach terror attack that claimed 15 lives.
Justification for detention 'no longer exists'
On Friday afternoon, Lanyon conceded there was likely not enough evidence to lay charges
"The justification for their ongoing detention no longer exists," he told reporters on Friday.
"If they haven't been charged, they're not subject to bail conditions ... we will monitor these men whilst they're in NSW."
Earlier on Friday, Lanyon's deputy said the men would "continue to be monitored whilst in New South Wales and we will work closely with our Victorian and Commonwealth law enforcement partners".
NSW Police cannot usually detain people without charge for longer than six hours for the purposes of an investigation.
However, a magistrate approved a special warrant under counter-terrorism laws, allowing the seven men to be held until Friday night without charge.
'We didn't do nothing wrong'
Talking to media after their release on Friday, some of the detained men insisted they don't have any links to extremist ideologies and said they were driving to their Airbnb while on holiday in Sydney.
"We didn't do nothing wrong, there was nothing found on us," one of the men told reporters after being released.
The group believed they had been targeted due to their appearance and religion.
"My head got smashed, I was bleeding all over my head. They were like 'bloody terrorists'," said another man who walked out of the station with his head heavily taped.
Sydney lawyer Ahmed Dib said the men were considering legal action.
What happened on Thursday?
Videos and images posted on social media showed tactical officers wearing camouflage uniforms and helmets standing over several men lying face down on the road and footpath.
The group were also shown on the ground with their hands zip-tied behind their backs as they were detained.
Vision of the arrest was posted on social media. Source: ABC News
He said police believed the group may have been travelling to Bondi, but no weapons were found inside the vehicles apart from a knife.
Hudson revealed the group had travelled from Victoria and both vehicles were registered there.
"We're in continuous consultation with our Victorian counterparts at this stage in relation to their knowledge," he said.
Are the arrests linked to Bondi?
NSW Police said they had not identified a connection between the group and the Bondi attack.
However, Hudson told ABC Radio that police believed the group had links to Islamic extremism.
Asked whether the men appeared to share an ideological adherence to Islamic extremism, Hudson said: "That's our belief at this stage, yes."
Hudson acknowledged footage of the dramatic arrests was confronting in the aftermath of Sunday's attack, but said the police response was appropriate.
"Our tolerance for threat and risk is very low at the moment," he said.
"If we receive information that any type of criminality or violent act is about to be committed, we will act."
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