The Australian Police confirmed this Tuesday (04/16/2024) that a stabbing in an Assyrian church in Sydney was a “terrorist” act with religious motivations and called on the local population to remain calm.
Four people were injured, although not seriously, including a prominent bishop, in the attack that occurred on the afternoon of Monday, April 15 at the church located in western Sydney.
“After considering all the material, I declared it was a terrorist incident,” New South Wales State Police Commissioner Karen Webb said at a press conference.
The suspect in the attack was “known to the police,” according to Webb, but was not on any terrorist watch list.
The attack was recorded
A live broadcast showed the attack. In the images, a man is seen approaching the altar, with a knife raised, and then attacks the priest, unleashing panic among the parishioners.
Police officers who responded to the incident were attacked by people outside the church, Webb said.
“People used what they had on hand in the area, such as bricks, concrete, stakes, to attack the police” and throw objects at the officers and their vehicles, he added. He stated that the crowd caused damage to about 20 police vehicles.
The neighborhood where the attack occurred is home to the small Assyrian Christian community, largely made up of people who fled persecution and war in Iraq and Syria.
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