The stabbing at a Sydney church on Monday was a
"terrorist act" motivated by religion, according to Australian
authorities.
A 16-year-old teenager was detained after a bishop, a
priest, and churchgoers were assaulted during mass at the Assyrian Christ the
Good Shepherd Church.
At least four persons sustained
"non-life-threatening" injuries, according to authorities. The
attacker was also injured.
The event was filmed on a church livestream, causing
immediate discontent in the Wakeley district.
Terrorism offenses in Australia are defined by police as
ideologically motivated. Investigations are still on, but officials say they
are confident this is a case of religious fanaticism.
Authorities have frequently declined to disclose the
religion of the suspected perpetrator.
Graphic footage of the incident and its aftermath went viral
on social media on Monday night, attracting an angry mob to the Assyrian
Orthodox Church, which is around 35 kilometers south-west of the city center.
The mob, which numbered in the hundreds, battled
aggressively with police officers who were guarding the church where the
attacker was receiving medical treatment.
Two cops were injured, one with a fractured jaw from being
hit with a brick and fence palings, and ten police cars were smashed.
Similarly, the violence left paramedics "holed up" inside the church
for more than three hours, afraid about their safety.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has called an emergency
meeting of national security agencies, describing the incident as
"disturbing".
"We're a peace-loving nation... There's no place for
violent extremism." To prevent additional bloodshed, he advised people to
"not take the law into their own hands."
Speaking to the media on Tuesday morning, New South Wales
(NSW) Police Commissioner Karen Webb said the bishop and priest were in surgery
and were "lucky to be alive".
Father Isaac Royel and Mar Mari Emmanuel are the names given
by the church to the priest and bishop, respectively. Bishop Emmanuel was
ordained in 2011 and is regarded as a popular and controversial figure, with
his sermons receiving millions of views on social media.
According to Ms. Webb, the teenager allegedly made religious
comments to the bishop as he approached, and police believe staging the attack
during a livestreamed service was intended to be "intimidating not only
[to] the parishioners in attendance, but those parishioners who were watching
online."
She stated that the suspect was acting alone and, while
"known to police," he was not on any terror watch list.
The suspected criminal has also undergone surgery after his
fingers were wounded, according to police, however it is unclear if he was
harmed with his own weapon or when he was captured by the congregation.
The tragedy occurred only days after the nation was stunned
by a different and unconnected stabbing at a prominent Sydney retail mall that
killed seven people.
"NSW is on edge, and there's understandable community
anxiety at the moment," said NSW Premier Chris Minns. He urged calm,
echoing requests from religious and community groups.
"Their message to their communities was universal and
identical, and that is that they deplore violence in all forms, [and] that they
have faith in the NSW Police to undertake their investigation," said Mr
Minns.
Any attempt at "tit-for-tat" violence would be
dealt with "the full force of the law," he said.
A strike squad has also been established to identify anyone
engaged in the violence, according to Ms Webb: "We will find you and come
and arrest you."
The NSW Ambulance chief also described the crowd's behavior
as "outrageous".
"Our people, that do nothing but go to care and help
every single day, need to know that they've got the support of the
community," Morgan added.
The Wakeley suburb is a focus for Sydney's tiny Christian
Assyrian population, many of whom have escaped persecution and conflict in Iraq
and Syria.
Bishop Emmanuel is a significant leader in that town and is
described as one of the "kindest, [most] authentic, genuine human
beings" by local MP Dai Le.
However, the bishop has had a tumultuous history with the
Assyrian Church, apparently being suspended for violating canons and founding a
rival church.
In 2021, he became an outspoken opponent of Covid-19
limitations, comparing lockdowns in Australia to slavery and claiming that
vaccinations were ineffective.