Church stabbing attack investigated as terror incident

A stabbing attack at an Australian church is being investigated as a terror-related incident, police said Tuesday, as the suspect, identified as a 16-year-old boy, is in custody. 

The suspect targeted Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel on Monday during a live-streamed service, the Christ the Good Shepherd Church in the Sydney suburb of Wakeley said. The bishop and a priest, Father Isaac Royel, both sustained non-life-threatening injuries in the attack. 

The New South Wales Joint Counter Terrorism Team is investigating the stabbing of the religious leaders at the Assyrian Orthodox church. 

Members of the public restrained the suspect after the attack until police arrived on the scene. The teen has been hospitalized but remains under the guard of police.

Following the attack, hundreds of people angry about the incident clashed with police outside of the church where the suspect was being held, according to the BBC. Two police officers were injured. 

Mike Burgess, director-general of the Australian Security Intelligence Organization, the country's top domestic security agency, said that the attack "does appear to be religiously motivated, but we continue our lines of investigation," according to The Associated Press. 

This is the second stabbing attack in Sydney in three days after six people were killed at a shopping center on Saturday.

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