- Sydney police arrest seven teens linked to extremist ideology
- Investigations linked to recent stabbing of Assyrian bishop
- Juveniles aged 15 to 17 apprehended amid counter-terrorism surge
As part of a surge of counter-terrorism operations throughout Sydney, Australian police have apprehended seven adolescents, claiming it was “likely” that they were devising an attack.
Police believe that the suspects adhere to a “religiously motivated violent extremist ideology.”
The investigations are connected to the stabbing of an Assyrian bishop last week, which was labelled a “terrorist act” by the police.
The perpetrators were “juveniles” aged 15 to 17, according to the police.
The adolescents allegedly are members of the same network as the 16-year-old boy charged with a terror offence in connection with the stabbing of Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel during a livestreamed sermon, according to investigators.
At least four individuals sustained “non-threatening” injuries in the wakeley suburb of western Sydney subsequent to the attack. A sixteen-year-old was also injured.
“Several associates were identified from that initial [Wakeley] incident who, in our opinion, merited additional close scrutiny and investigation,” Deputy Commissioner David Hudson of the New South Wales Police told the media on Wednesday.
The youths, according to Mr. Hudson, were “Linked in a Common Purpose” and presented a “unacceptable risk and threat” to the public. Five additional individuals are providing assistance in the police investigations.
He further stated that since the incident at Christ The Good Shepherd Church on Monday, the entire group had been under surveillance, and that police had apprehended them because “an attack was probable,” although no specific plan or target had been identified.
The state’s joint counterterrorism team continues to conduct an investigation.
The investigations that occurred on Wednesday involved a collective of 400 police officers, and search warrants were issued in thirteen different locations throughout southwest Sydney.
“Don’t miss out! Grab your free shares of Webull UK today!”
Wakeley is host to a significant portion of Australia’s Assyrian Christian community, including many who have escaped persecution and conflict in Iraq, portions of Iran, Turkey, and Syria. Christ the Good Shepherd Church is situated in Wakeley.
Bishop Emmanuel, who was stabbed to death a week ago, is well-known throughout the community and has amassed an enormous online following.
However, his ultraconservative and frequently controversial views on issues such as same-sex marriage and the Islamic faith make him a divisive figure. He spoke out against vaccines and opposed government lockdowns throughout the pandemic.
It has been withheld by authorities the religious affiliation of the putative adolescent attacker.
