The violent stabbing of a beloved conservative bishop during a Monday church service in Australia, that was streamed on the internet, has been classified a "terrorist incident," a news agency reported.
Police said the suspect in the attack was a 16-year-old male who was taken into custody shortly after he was taken to the ground by members of the congregation of Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel at Christ the Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley, a suburb of Sidney.
His identity was not released but police said authorities said his motive was “religious.”
"We believe there are elements that are satisfied in terms of religious motivated extremism," New South Wales state Police Commissioner Karen Webb said at a Tuesday news conference, according to Reuters.
"After consideration of all the material, I declared that it was a terrorist incident."
Australian police said a knife attack on an Assyrian church bishop and some followers in Sydney was a terrorist act motivated by suspected religious extremism, as the country reeled from a second stabbing incident in three days https://t.co/9WqATABGyO pic.twitter.com/uQVUb1Zha1
— Reuters (@Reuters) April 16, 2024
There were claims on social media immediately following the graphic, caught-on-video stabbing that the attacker had praised “Allah” before he stabbed Emmanuel repeatedly in the upper body.
Four victims in total were injured in the attack, two of whom were treated at the scene of the Assyrian Orthodox Church and released. The two others were taken to an area hospital in serious condition.
All the victims are expected to survive their wounds.
One witness relayed to CNN that after the stabbing and while all involved were on the ground, a wounded Emmanuel placed his own hand on the attacker and told him, “May the Lord Jesus Christ save you.”
The attacker himself required surgery, according to CNN.
The smirking face of the man who stabbed a bishop several times in Sydney whilst shouting Allahu Akbar. Pure evil. https://t.co/a8lUA4gKyS
— Darren Grimes (@darrengrimes_) April 15, 2024
According to Sky News Australia, the suspect lost at least one finger in the attack, although it was unclear early Tuesday how it was severed and by whom.
There were other claims the teen perpetrator lost as many as four fingers and that he cut them off intentionally.
“There’s various stories about the fingers,” New South Wales Police Commissioner Karen Webb told the local media, adding it was “too early to tell” what exactly happened.
She added, “That’s not clear yet whether it’s self-inflicted or through the melee that occurred or some other way, and I understand that it’s possibly a flick knife, but that is to be confirmed as well.”
The police commissioner added that the victims were each “lucky” to have survived, according to Sky News.
New South Wales Premiere Chris Minns issued a statement on social media in which he asked members of the public to “remain calm.”
It’s important that the community remain calm and continue to listen and act to the directions of Police and Emergency Services.
We are a strong community in NSW and it’s important that we all stick together, particularly in the face of adversity.
2/2
— Chris Minns (@ChrisMinnsMP) April 15, 2024
In the hours after the terror attack, hundreds gathered outside the church and demanded that police hand the attacker over to them.
Reinforcements were called in and tensions between police and angry community members resulted in injuries to two officers, according to a statement from police.
An angry crowd chants “bring him out” waiting for the suspect caught on livestream stabbing their Bishop Mar Mari inside their church. pic.twitter.com/zxRNb5tOTE
— Chriscoveries (@Chriscoveries) April 15, 2024
“A constable was hit with a metal object and sustained a twisted knee and a chipped tooth,” police said. “Another constable sustained a broken jaw after he was hit with a brick and a fence paling.”
The teen suspect was taken to a hospital under police guard and he remained there as of Tuesday.
