A 16-year-old boy has been charged with a Commonwealth offence of terrorism after allegedly stabbing an Assyrian bishop during a livestream service at a Western Sydney church. The boy, believed to have recently converted to Islam, was denied bail and was set to appear before a bedside court hearing on April 19.
The incident occurred during an online sermon at Christ The Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley, where the boy attacked Christian bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel with a knife. The bishop suffered significant head injuries, while a 39-year-old parish priest, Isaac Royel, was also injured when he tried to intervene.
Police Commissioner Karen Webb stated that the boy was charged with committing a terrorist act, which carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. The boy allegedly stabbed the bishop six times and travelled for 90 minutes to reach the church.
In a joint statement on April 19, the Joint Counter Terrorism Team Sydney confirmed that they had interviewed the teenager before laying charges. Australian Federal Police Commissioner Reece Kershaw mentioned that search warrants were executed at the teenager’s residence and electronic devices were seized.
Footage of the incident showed the boy shouting “Allahu akbar” before the attack, indicating a religious motivation. Witnesses reported that the boy struggled with his knife and injured his hands during the assault.
In a surprising turn of events, the bishop publicly forgave the attacker and urged his followers to avoid retaliation. The incident sparked a riot outside the church, resulting in the arrest of Dani Mansour for riot-related charges.
Please rewrite this sentence.
Source link
