Church stabbing ‘terror’ act

A 15-year-old allegedly stabbed a religious leader in Sydney’s west on Monday evening, with an angry mob of thousands injuring police and destroying police cars two days after the city was rocked by a knife massacre at Bondi Junction.

Assyrian religious leader Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel and another clergyman were stabbed as he delivered a livestreamed mass at the Christ The Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley just after 7pm on Monday.

Police arrested the teen at the scene but were forced to barricade themselves inside the church for several hours “for his safety” after an estimated 2000 people descended on the church demanding retribution.

NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb on Tuesday morning declared the stabbing a terror attack that was religiously motivated.

Authorities and religious leaders across Sydney convened a late-night meeting to call for calm as the 59-year-old bishop lay in hospital in a stable condition.

A major investigation is under way, as police officers struggle to clean up the mess that was left in the wake of the riot.

Tactical police were seen intently searching the church’s carpark for any evidence linked to the stabbing attack and the assaults on police officers including cars, alley ways, garden beds and even nearby rubbish bins.

Remnants of broken glass from smashed police cars have flooded Box Rd.

Bricks, pavers, bottles and fragments of metal are littered across the street as nearby homeowners come to terms with what happened in their neighbourhood overnight.

Residents have also been spotted helping officers clean up the mess.

The director general of Australia’s intelligence agency said it was sadly predicted that any terrorist attack was “most likely” to be an individual who acted with little or no warning.

Mike Burgess – the directorgeneral of ASIO – said when his agency lowered the terrorism threat level to “possible” in November 2022, that had come with a warning.

“I said at the time possible does not mean negligible, and the most likely attack is an individual who goes to violence with little or no warning with a knife, car or gun,” Mr Burgess said.

“And sadly we’ve seen that in this case.”

He confirmed the terrorist incident appeared to be “religiously motivated”, and that the alleged terrorist’s suspected comments about “the prophet” were being investigated.

He said the terrorism threat level would remain at “possible”, but was constantly under review.

United Muslims of Australia has released a statement condemning the attack, and said its members were praying for Bishop Emmanuel and the other victim’s recovery.

“The Australian National Imams Council (ANIC) and the Australian Muslim community unequivocally condemn tonight’s attack on Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel while delivering a mass at Wakeley’s Christ The Good Shepherd Church in Sydney’s west,” the statement reads.