"7 people posing an unacceptable risk and threat to society were arrested following anti-terrorist raids".
This was stated by the Australian police, AFP reported.
Two senior police officers said the men were linked to the 16-year-old who stabbed a bishop in a Sydney church. The law enforcement authorities claim that those arrested profess "religiously motivated extremist ideology".
Deputy Police Commissioner Dave Hudson said it was "likely" the group was planning an attack, although a specific target was not clear.
"Their behavior while under surveillance led us to believe that if they were to do something, we wouldn't be able to prevent it. And as the investigation progressed, we thought it was likely that an attack would follow," Hudson said.
Police said all the perpetrators were minors.
Last week, a 16-year-old suspect stabbed Bishop Mar Marie Emmanuel in the head and chest, sparking a riot by followers of the Assyrian Christian Church in Sydney's west.
Police were quick to describe the teenager's actions as a "terrorist" act.
As a result of this determination, a joint counter-terrorism taskforce launched an investigation bringing together state and federal police forces and the intelligence service ASIO.
Emanuel has almost 200,000 followers online, having sparked the interest of many with his criticism of Covid-19 vaccines and prisons, as well as Islam.
The area is the center of Sydney's small Christian Assyrian community, many of whom have fled persecution and war in Iraq and Syria./BGNES