1 month ago
Australian constabulary connected Tuesday declared nan stabbing of a bishop nan nighttime erstwhile a violent attack. The incident occurred Monday evening astatine nan Christ The Good Shepherd Church successful nan suburb of Wakeley, successful Sydney. Photo by Bianca de Marchi/EPA-EFE
April 16 (UPI) -- Police successful Australia connected Tuesday declared nan stabbing of a Bishop during work Monday evening successful Sydney a violent attack.
"We tin corroborate that this incident has now been declared a violent attack," Australian Federal Police Commissioner Reece Kershaw said Tuesday during a property conference pinch Prime Minister Anthony Albanese astatine Parliament House successful Canberra.
"I tin besides corroborate that this matter is now nether nan investigation by nan [New South Wales] Joint Counter Terrorism team."
Little was made nationalist astir what led to nan determination, but Mike Burgess, head wide of nan Australian Security Intelligence Organization, said nan stabbing appears to person been "religiously motivated."
Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel, nan leader of nan Assyrian Church of nan East for Australia and New Zealand, was stabbed Monday evening while giving work astatine Christ The Good Shepherd successful Wakeley, successful southwest Sydney.
The work was live-streamed, and footage of nan incident posted online shows a antheral individual saunter to nan lectern mid-sermon and stab nan bishop aggregate times.
The NSW Police Force successful a statement Tuesday said they were notified of nan incident astatine astir 7:10 p.m.
The 53-year-old bishop sustained lacerations to his head, while a 39-year-old man was stabbed successful nan enarthrosis erstwhile he tried to intervene. Both of their injuries were listed arsenic non-life-threatening and they were transported to Liverpool Hospital.
A 16-year-old boy was detained astatine nan segment and remains successful infirmary Tuesday nether constabulary guard, nan NSW Police Force said.
Burgess said during nan property convention that it appears that nan teen acted alone, but that they will analyse his associates to guarantee nary 1 other poses a akin threat to nan public.
"It is prudent that we do this to find location is nary threats aliases contiguous threats to security," he said. "At this time, we are not seeing that."
NSW Premier Chris Minns said Tuesday he had convened a gathering of Sydney's religion leaders nan nighttime anterior pursuing nan stabbing to telephone for peace.
"Their connection to their communities was cosmopolitan and identical, and that is that they deplore unit successful each forms," he said.
The stabbing was nan 2nd to person occurred successful Australia's largest metropolis successful 3 days, aft six group were killed and astatine slightest a twelve others were injured by a knife-wielding assailant astatine nan the Westfield Shopping Center astatine Bondi Junction connected Saturday.
Albanese said Tuesday during nan property convention that location is nary spot for unit nor convulsive extremism successful Australia.
"We are a peace-loving nation," he said. "This is simply a clip to unite, not disagreement arsenic a organization and arsenic a country."
