A church in Sydney, Australia was attacked with a knife on April 15. New South Wales (NSW) State Deputy Commissioner David Hudson made statements regarding the investigation.
Stating that an operation was organized with more than 400 police officers in the neighborhoods in the southwest of Sydney, Hudson claimed that the 7 young people aged 15-17 who were detained were "influenced by an extremist and violent ideology".
Hudson stated that the detainees pose a threat to the public. Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel was targeted during a live broadcast of a mass at Christ the Good Shepherd Church in Sydney on April 15. The bishop and 3 people were injured and the attacker was captured.
The New South Wales Police Commissioner announced on April 16 that the attack would be investigated as an "act of terrorism". On April 17, police stated that the first arrest was made on April 17 regarding those who gathered around the church and caused trouble immediately after the attack, and that a 19-year-old man was taken into custody from his home.
