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Police in Australia have arrested a 15-year-old boy accused of attacking a bishop and his followers with a knife at an Orthodox Assyrian church in Sydney, declaring the attack a “terrorist” act motivated by suspected religious extremism .
The attack, which took place as a service at Christ the Good Shepherd Church was being livestreamed on Monday evening, injured Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel and a priest. Both are expected to survive.
Police arrested the teenager at the scene and he had to be restrained inside the church for his own safety as an angry mob of the bishop's followers had gathered outside.
The mob clashed with the police for more than three hours and demanded that the attacker be handed over to them.
Emergency workers said they treated 30 people for riot-related injuries.
New South Wales Police Commissioner Karen Webb, speaking to reporters on Tuesday, said the suspect's comments pointed to a religious motive for the attack.
Webb said, “We will charge him on the basis that this individual has traveled to a location that is not near his residential address, that he has had some degree of premeditation, that he has traveled with a knife and after Bishop and priest have been stabbed to death.” , “They're lucky to be alive.”
“After considering all the material I declared that this was a terrorist incident,” he said.
The Australian Security Intelligence Organization (ASIO), the country's main domestic spy agency, and the Australian Federal Police have joined with state police in a counter-terrorism task force to investigate whether anyone else was involved.
ASIO director general Mike Burgess said in rare public comments that the boy appeared to have acted alone and there was no immediate need to raise the terror threat level in the country.
“At this stage, these appear to be the actions of an individual,” he said. “At this point, there is no indication of anyone else being involved, but this remains an open investigation.”
Police officer admitted to hospital after riots
The church mentioned in a message on social media that the situation of the bishop and priest was steady and requested individuals for prayers.
It mentioned, “It’s the want of the Bishop and the Father that you simply additionally pray for the offender.”
Bishop Emmanuel has a big following on-line, along with his livestream sermons attracting world audiences and his video clips receiving a whole bunch of 1000’s of views. He turned well-known for his radical views through the COVID pandemic when he described lockdowns as “mass slavery”, media reported on the time.
Throughout Monday's mass, worshipers watched in horror as a person wearing black approached the altar and stabbed the bishop and priest Isaac Royle.
Police mentioned the suspect was overpowered by the gang after the assault.
A mob of a whole bunch demanding revenge later gathered exterior the church, throwing bricks and bottles, injuring cops and stopping them from escorting the teenager out, officers mentioned. He was introduced out solely after greater than 100 police forces reached the church.
Appearing Assistant Police Commissioner Andrew Holland mentioned the teenage suspect and at the least two cops had been hospitalized. When requested if the teenager's fingers had been lower, he mentioned the hand accidents had been “critical”.
He mentioned that many police autos had been additionally broken.
“Many homes have been broken. They’ve damaged into a number of homes to acquire weapons to throw on the police. They’ve thrown weapons and gadgets within the church itself. Clearly there have been individuals who needed to succeed in out to the younger man who induced accidents to clergymen,” he mentioned.
Responding to the assault, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese mentioned, “There isn’t any place for violence in our neighborhood. There isn’t any room for violent extremism.”
He mentioned, “We’re a peace-loving nation. It is a time to unite as a neighborhood and a rustic, to not divide.”
The assault got here two days after a person wielding a knife killed six individuals and injured greater than a dozen at a shopping center in Sydney's Bondi Junction earlier than being shot useless by police. The attacker focused principally girls.
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns issued a joint assertion with Christian and Muslim leaders calling for peace.
“We’re calling on everybody to behave with kindness and respect in direction of one another,” the assertion mentioned. “Now’s the time to indicate that we’re sturdy and united.”
Talking at a press convention later, Minns additionally urged individuals to not take the legislation into their very own fingers following assaults on police.
“If there may be any try at tit-for-tat violence in Sydney within the coming days, you may be met with the complete power of the legislation,” he mentioned.