6th Teenager Faces Charges in Christian Bishop Stabbing Case
NSW Police are currently investigating individuals connected with the terror incident and those involved in riots outside the church.
A sixth teenager has been charged in relation to a live-streamed stabbing incident involving a Christian bishop in western Sydney last week.
So far, five teenage boys have been arrested, with two aged 14 and 17, and charged with possessing or controlling violent extremist material through a communication service.
The sixth youth is still in custody but has not yet been formally charged, while a seventh teenager was released on Thursday without charge.
On 15 April, bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel, another priest Isaac Royel, and a bystander were stabbed by an attacker at the Christ The Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley during a live-streamed sermon.
The video showed a 16-year-old boy dressed in black, approaching the attacker and hitting him repeatedly with a knife (the knife appeared to malfunction).
The boy is alleged to have shouted “Allahu Ahkbar,” followed by (in Arabic), “If he didn’t insult my prophet, I wouldn’t have come here.”
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The attacker was eventually subdued by church members, many of whom were from the local Assyrian diaspora. The incident was later labeled a terrorist incident by authorities.
Mr. Emmanuel, originally from Iraq, is known for his sermons and his conservative stance on civil rights issues.
His sermons have gained popularity on the social media platform TikTok. A month ago, he reported receiving a threat before the stabbing incident stating, “The Bishop has two weeks to live.”
The attack was the second stabbing in three days in Sydney after a mass-casualty event at Westfield Bondi Junction.
Although not publicly named, police confirm the 16-year-old was previously convicted in January for weapons offenses, stalking, intimidation, and damaging property, and was released on a good behavior bond by the court.
Riot Erupts
Following the stabbing attack, a crowd quickly gathered outside the church involving hundreds of individuals, with calls for the boy to be handed over to the crowd.
The crowd descended into a riot, leading to clashes between community members and police.
Approximately 26 officers required medical attention with several police vehicles damaged.
Paramedics were trapped inside the church until late evening.
Police utilized pepper spray and riot squad reinforcements to suppress the uprising, which ended around 1 am.
NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb announced the establishment of Strike Force Dribs, focused on identifying offenders through video evidence.
