NSW Police are treating the alleged stabbing of a bishop during a livestream mass in Sydney’s west as a terrorist attack.
Premier Chris Minns said the decision was taken in the early hours of Tuesday and reviewed by the Police Minister.
NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb said a strike force had been established to investigate last night’s incident.
“This is a large and serious criminal investigation,” Minns said Tuesday.
“It is vital that NSW Police is able to commit resources and information, not just officers, to investigating this crime.”
Hundreds of people clashed with police in Sydney’s west on Monday night after a prominent Orthodox Christian leader was allegedly stabbed at a church altar.
Bishop Mar Mari Emanuel was celebrating Mass at the Assyrian Church of the Good Shepherd in Wakely just after 7pm on Monday when the alleged attack occurred.
A livestream of the mass posted on the church’s website showed a person approaching the altar stabbing the bishop multiple times in the head. Three other people were injured in the alleged attack.
Police and emergency services responded shortly afterward and police arrested the suspect, believed to be a 16-year-old.
A large group of people then “gathered in the area and began attacking police,” Webb said. Police estimate the crowd grew from 50 to about 500 people.
“People attacked the police using bricks, concrete stakes, and other items available in the area, and hurled missiles at police, police equipment, and police vehicles.”
Webb said some police officers were injured and taken to hospital overnight, and 20 police vehicles were damaged and 10 were rendered unusable.
“That is unacceptable and those involved in that riot can expect a knock on the door. It may not be today. It may not be tomorrow. But we will find you and arrest you.” That is completely unacceptable.”
NSW Ambulance Commissioner Dominic Morgan said 30 patients were examined and treated overnight and seven were taken to hospital, about 20 of whom were affected by the pepper spray. Ta.
The bishop and priest who were stabbed underwent surgery on Tuesday morning.
Morgan said emergency workers were “under direct threat” and had to retreat inside the church during the riot, with six of them stuck inside the church for three and a half hours.
Mr Minns said the decision to designate the stabbing as a terrorist attack was taken in the early hours of Tuesday morning, approved by the Minister for Police at 1.45am and notified by the Prime Minister himself at 2am.
Mr. Webb said the legislative definition of terrorism is met in that police believe the act was religiously motivated extremism and that the public was threatened through the act. said. Part of that is due to the fact that the service was livestreamed.
The suspect was not previously on any terrorist watch list.
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Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the Wakeley incident as “extremely tragic” and “extremely worrying”.
Albanians repeatedly refused to reveal the suspect’s religion.
“If politicians don’t lead this disclosure, it’s a very good idea,” he told ABC Melbourne. “It would be a very good idea for police and authorities to do so when the situation is confirmed.
“There was an announcement that there was a terrorist attack. That means it was ideologically motivated.”
Ms Albanese told WSFM radio that the young man, whom police say was “responsible for this incident”, was in custody and was unlikely to pose “any further danger”.
Ms Albanese warned that damaging or obstructing police vehicles, as happened after the incident, was “totally unacceptable”.
A separate strike force called Dribs has been established to investigate the riots, and additional police will be patrolling Sydney in response.
The attack comes just days after another man, Joel Couch, killed six people and seriously injured others in a stabbing attack at the Westfield Shopping Center in the Sydney suburb of Bondi Junction. Investigators do not believe Couch’s attack was terrorism-related.
Minns called for calm in the community Tuesday.
“Following days of criminal activity in Sydney and Bondi Junction in New South Wales, we are in crisis and there is understandable fear in the community at this time. However, police have carried out inquiries and have completed their investigation. It’s very important that we can do that,” Minns said.
Minns said further violence would divert resources from investigating the case.
“Let me be clear: there is no such thing as taking the law into your own hands in Australia. There is no such thing. There are several reasons for that. Any attempt at retaliatory violence will be met with the full force of the law.
“Finally, and perhaps most importantly, all faith leaders representing communities across Western Sydney have said unequivocally that this must stop and that communities have come together to support the New South Wales We express our confidence and hope in the police and plead with them to ensure that we remain united during these difficult days. ”
