KEY POINTS:
A genuine threat to public safety prompted the police to end a year-long surveillance operation and raid the members of an alleged terror grouping.
Police would not comment yesterday on how serious that threat was, who or what was targeted and when or where the group intended to strike.
However, they said the threat was real, and that Police Commissioner Howard Broad had ordered yesterday's raids "in circumstances which disclosed a serious threat to public safety".
Police became aware of the group's activities last year, before they began their weapons training camps. Investigations began in earnest at the end of last year, said Acting Deputy Commissioner Operations, Jon White.
"There have been several training camps over that passage of time. It is of considerable concern to us that people were attending training camps and engaging in what we believe to be unlawful activities, training and using firearms and other weapons as part of that training. That seemed to us to step over the line in terms of what would be acceptable ...
"We have got a role to play in this country in terms of upholding the lawas it applies to everyone, and we have gone about making what we regard asan operational decision."
Police were aware invoking the Terrorism Suppression Act for some search warrants would be seen by ordinary people as a significant step, but they had taken extensive legal advice.
"Police had concern about this group and that concern escalated with the progressive number of camps and type of training that was being undertaken at them."
