22 May 2013
Operation Eight IPCA report
The release of the Independent Police Conduct Authority’s report into Operation Eight confirms that the operation was
justified, but that mistakes were made in the termination, Police Association Vice-President Luke Shadbolt said today.
“Police were confronted with evidence of illegal activity of an unprecedented and particularly disturbing nature. The
IPCA finds that, faced with that evidence, the decision to execute the search warrants and make arrests was warranted,”
Mr Shadbolt said.
“The release of this report concludes a five and a half year period during which Police’s actions have now been
thoroughly scrutinised and reviewed. Mistakes and deficiencies have been identified and addressed. What we have never
heard at any time over the past five years, however, is any explanation from those who were apparently practicing
guerrilla tactics with firearms and Molotov cocktails at their military-style training camps, as to what they were
training for,” Mr Shadbolt said.