Australian tactical police carried out a high-risk arrest operation near Bondi Beach after receiving
By Sammy,
Australian tactical police carried out a high-risk arrest operation near Bondi Beach after receiving intelligence suggesting a violent act may have been imminent, Australian media report. The Sydney Morning Herald says a police vehicle rammed a white hatchback heading toward the area, after which heavily armed officers removed five men at gunpoint and restrained them with zip ties. Two additional men traveling in a separate vehicle were also arrested. Anonymous sources cited by the outlet said a weapon may have been inside one of the vehicles and that those detained were already known to authorities.
Police later emphasized that there is no danger to the public and that, at this stage, the arrests are not connected to Sunday's terror attack at a Jewish event on Bondi Beach. That shooting killed 15 people, with one of the attackers killed at the scene and the second surviving, being taken into custody and subsequently charged. Authorities have since confirmed that Bondi Beach has reopened to the public.
Meanwhile, investigators are examining the background of the two terrorists who carried out the Bondi Beach attack, focusing on a recent trip they made to the Philippines. Australian authorities are looking into whether Sajid Akram and his son, Naveed, may have had contact with extremist elements while staying in the southern city of Davao, an area with a long history of Islamist insurgencies.
Hotel staff in Davao told AFP that the pair checked into a budget hotel on November 1 and spent weeks largely confined to their room, rarely leaving for more than short periods. Employees said the men kept to themselves, did not socialize, were never seen meeting anyone, and traveled only on foot. Philippine officials have said there is no evidence the country was used to train terrorists, and local police are expected to issue a statement on the matter.
Reported by Sammy for Bernie News Network. See our editorial standards and corrections policy.