Seven men were detained in Sydney’s west in December last year amid concerns they might be preparing for a violent attack, following the deadly terror incident at Bondi Beach earlier that month. The group, referred to as the “Liverpool seven,” were stopped and questioned by counter-terrorism police on December 18, just four days after the Bondi attack that claimed 15 lives.

The men, all aged between 19 and 24 and originally from Victoria, were pulled over in Liverpool’s central business district after being rammed off the road by heavily armed officers. NSW Police temporarily held the group due to concerns over links to Islamic extremism but ultimately released them without pressing charges. At the time, Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon indicated that the men were believed to have extremist ties, though no direct evidence of a terror plot was found.

A notable factor in the police decision to intervene was an early-morning visit by the men to the Sydney Opera House around 3 a.m. the night before their arrest. According to a police source, officers were unsure why the group was at the landmark at such an unusual hour. The Opera House was considered a potential target, especially given the recent pattern of late-night visits to Bondi Beach by the alleged father-and-son terrorists Sajid Akram, 59, and Naveed Akram, 24, prior to their attack.

Deputy Commissioner Dave Hudson reported at the time that authorities had indications the Liverpool seven might have been planning to travel to Bondi Beach around the time of their detention, although no specific intent or plans were established.

The investigation, spanning multiple jurisdictions, was further complicated by a tip-off from Victorian Police regarding the group’s movements. In Victoria last month, one of the men, Mohammad Ahmadzai, was charged with possession of extremist material. Authorities had begun scrutinizing Ahmadzai and his associates before their brief detention in Sydney.

Throughout the process, the men have consistently denied any wrongdoing. After their release in December, one individual told media that they were simply visiting Sydney for a holiday and condemned the Bondi incident. NSW Police have clarified that no terror plot involving the group was discovered, and no formal allegations have been made beyond the charges brought against Ahmadzai in Victoria.