Sydney Church Stabbing Declared Terrorism; PM Urges Unity

Australian authorities have labeled a knife attack on a bishop and congregants at a church in western Sydney as a terrorist incident, likely driven by religious extremism. The attack, occurring just two days after a separate mass stabbing incident that left six dead in the city, has sparked concerns over public safety and religious tensions.

The decision to classify Monday’s attack as terrorism was based on the apparent premeditation of the stabbing, as well as religious remarks made by the attacker during the incident. New South Wales Police Commissioner Karen Webb stated, “After consideration of all the material, I declared that it was a terrorist incident…A referral has been made and agreed to by the Joint Counter Terrorism Investigation team that will work jointly with New South Wales Police.”

“We believe there are elements that are satisfied in terms of religiously motivated extremism,” Webb added.

The suspect, identified as a male teenager, was apprehended at the scene by police. However, authorities faced a challenging situation as an angry mob of the bishop’s followers gathered outside the church and clashed with police, leading to a brief standoff.

In response to the incident, the state’s Premier Chris Minns convened with religious leaders and appealed for calm as the police launched a major terrorism investigation. Christ the Good Shepherd Church, where the stabbing occurred, urged its followers against any form of retaliation.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the violence, stating, “There is no place for violent extremism. We are a peace-loving nation. This is a time to unite, not divide as a community and as a country.” Albanese also criticized the clash between police and the crowd outside the church, emphasizing that people should not take the law into their own hands.

Despite the incident, the U.S. Embassy in Australia has not changed its travel advisory for the country, maintaining it at Level 1. The embassy issued an alert to its citizens in Australia, advising them to remain vigilant and practice sound personal security.

Monday’s attack targeted Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel during a sermon at the Assyrian church in Sydney’s Wakeley suburb. The church live streams all its sermons online, and the attack was captured on camera. Seven people, including the bishop, were hospitalized but are expected to recover. The alleged attacker, a 16-year-old, was arrested at the scene, but tensions escalated as hundreds of the bishop’s followers demanded his release, resulting in clashes with police.

This incident follows a mass stabbing at a Sydney mall, where six people were killed just two days prior. Police determined that attack had no terrorist links, attributing it to the perpetrator’s mental health issues.