Seven Men Released After Sydney Counterterrorism Raid

Australian authorities released seven young men without charges on Friday after a dramatic counterterrorism operation in Sydney's southwest, amid heightened security concerns following a deadly mass shooting at Bondi Beach. The men, aged 19 to 24 and from Victoria, were detained Thursday afternoon when heavily armed tactical police intercepted two vehicles in Liverpool, suspecting the group of planning a violent act possibly linked to Islamic extremism.

New South Wales Police acted on intelligence suggesting the men, traveling from Melbourne, might target locations including Bondi Beach, site of Sunday's attack that killed several people during a Hanukkah celebration. Officers rammed a Hyundai i30 and used nonlethal beanbag rounds to subdue the occupants, while a second vehicle, a Toyota Yaris, was stopped nearby. Video footage showed the men lying on the ground, some cable-tied and seated against a fence, with one appearing to have a bloodied head. No firearms were found, though police seized a knife. The operation prompted lockdowns at nearby businesses, including a medical center.

NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon announced the releases around midday Friday, stating that a...