Police have classified the attack on a religious leader during a sermon in a Sydney neighborhood on Monday as a terrorist act.
“Anyone with information about extremist activity or potential threats to the community should come forward, regardless of how small or insignificant you believe the information is,” the New South Wales Police Force said in a statement on Tuesday.
The government’s Joint Counter Terrorism Team has launched an inquiry into the stabbing, which was originally reported to police at 7 p.m. Monday.
Members of the church detained a 16-year-old suspect, who police apprehended at the scene. Reports state that he underwent hospitalization, underwent surgery for injuries sustained during the alleged attack, and remained under police guard.
“There is no place for violence in our community,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated. “There is no room for violent extremism. “We are a peaceful nation.”
The church, located in Wakeley and attended by an Assyrian Orthodox community, was identified by Albanese as Christ the Good Shepherd.
ABC News obtained a video of the event that purports to show a man approaching the religious leader while he is speaking to his congregation. The man appears to interrupt the preaching and start brutally hitting him.
An officer who came to the church on Welcome Road treated a 53-year-old male “with lacerations to his head,” according to police. Police have not revealed the man’s name.
“A 39-year-old man also sustained lacerations and a shoulder wound when he attempted to intervene,” according to a law enforcement statement.
Paramedics treated both of the injured at the site before transporting them to Liverpool Hospital, according to police, who added that their injuries were not life-threatening.
According to the force, Police Commissioner Karen Webb determined that the incident was terror-related. The NSW Police Force, Australian Federal Police, Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, and NSW Crime Commission will all conduct an investigation, according to the police.
The church identified the attacked leader as Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel and requested seclusion while he recovers.
“We strongly condemn the senseless act of violence that occurred during his sermon,” the church stated in a media release.
It went on to say, “Such actions not only bring distress but also contradict the cherished values of compassion and unity that are integral to our Australian identity.”
