Two teenagers arrested in a counter-terrorism operation on Wednesday were apprehended by police just hours after buying two knives.
The boys, both aged 16, were arrested as they walked into a prayer hall on a laneway off Fetherstone Street at Bankstown on Wednesday afternoon.
"Officers seized two knives and the pair remains in custody," a police statement said.
"Police are unable to release anything further at this time however there is no on-going threat in relation to this matter."
The arrest was conducted with such little notice that local Bankstown police officers carried it out rather than Joint Counter-Terrorism Team officers, who have been investigating the pair.
It's understood police believe an attack was imminent.
One of the boys has been on the radar of counter-terrorism police since at least September 2014 when his family's Revesby home was raided during the initial Operation Appleby raids. He is also related to a convicted extremist.
In the weeks after, the boy told Fairfax Media he was angry over what he perceived was police over-reach.
The boy spoke to Fairfax Media about his family's decision to sue the police for raiding their home and allegedly assaulting his mother.
He said he would remember the raid "forever".
The family unsuccessfully pursued a defamation case against the police but their wrongful arrest case is ongoing.
The boy had attended East Hills Boy High School and was one of two boys spoken to by police in 2014 after refusing to stand for the national anthem.
The boys reportedly told police at the time they "only stand for God".
One local shop owner, who asked not to be identified, said police went into a prayer hall on Adnum Lane on Wednesday morning and arrested the two boys.
He said the boys had been inside for about 10 minutes when several police cars descended on the area at high speed.
"They came into my shop to ask if my CCTV showed the boys walking down the street," he said.
