Police declare stabbing at Western Sydney church a terrorist act. The head of ASIO has confirmed the stabbing of a bishop and a priest in Sydney’s west last night is believed to have been religiously motivated.
Director-General Mike Burgess, speaking alongside Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Australian Federal Police Commissioner Reece Kershaw, said that ASIO, as part of the Joint Counter-Terrorism Team, would support the investigation into the attack.
Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel was stabbed during a service at the Christ The Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley.
Australian police have declared Monday’s stabbing at a Sydney church a religiously motivated “terrorist act”.
A 16-year-old boy was arrested after a bishop, a priest and churchgoers were attacked at a sermon at the Assyrian Christ The Good Shepherd Church.
At least four people suffered “non-life-threatening” injuries, police say. The attacker was also hurt.
The incident was captured on a church livestream and quickly triggered unrest in the suburb of Wakeley.
Hundreds of people gathered outside the Assyrian Orthodox Church – about 35km south-west of the city centre – and clashed with police. Two officers were injured, one with a broken jaw after he was hit with a brick and fence paling. Twenty police vehicles were also damaged, with 10 left unusable.
The violence similarly left paramedics retreating for cover in the church, where they were “holed up” for more than three hours.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has convened an emergency meeting of national security agencies, calling the attack “disturbing”.
“We’re a peace-loving nation… There’s no place for violent extremism.”
