Australian cops say suspects detained en route to Bondi have ideological link with the terrorists

By Reuters and ToI Staff 19 December 2025, 1:24 am

1 Edit

Police officers intercept two cars carrying seven men heading in the direction of Bondi Beach, Sydney, and detain the passengers on the suspicion that they were planning to carry out a "violent act" on December 18, 2025. (Screenshot: X, used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)

SYDNEY — Australian police say that seven men detained in Sydney’s southwest on Thursday have ideological connections to the two terrorists who allegedly fired at hundreds celebrating Hanukkah in Bondi Beach, killing 15 people.

“We don’t have definitive links between the individuals who committed these atrocities on Sunday and this yesterday apart from potential commonality in some thinking, but no associations at this stage,” New South Wales state Police Deputy Commissioner Dave Hudson tells ABC Radio on Friday.

Investigations are at an initial stage, Hudson says, adding one of the locations the group was planning to visit was Bondi.

Australian authorities have said they believe the Hanukkah massacre was inspired by Islamic State, which praised the attack but did not take responsibility.