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An extensive range of investigative powers will be deployed by Australian authorities after the attack on a Sydney priest was declared an attack of terrorism.
New South Wales Police Commissioner Karen Webb overnight designated the stabbing a “terror incident” and then informed the Premier Chris Minns.
A 16-year-old boy is in custody after Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel was stabbed during a service at the Christ The Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley just after 7pm overnight.
Under NSW law, the definition of a terrorist act includes when an “action is done with the intention of advancing a political, religious or ideological cause”.
Terrorism expert and security analyst Greg Barton told Today this morning why “intent” was key.
”The critical thing about definition with terror is, is motivation and intent,” he said.
“So it’s not just personal anger … It’s believing you’re part of a system and you’re going to bring about change … Often by provoking more violence.”
In a joint press conference with the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, the heads of ASIO and the AFP said they supported the declaration of a terrorist event.
Albanese said he had “every faith” in the country’s law enforcement and security agencies, but understood people felt uneasy in the wake of the the mass stabbing at Bondi Junction in Sydney last Saturday.
“I understand that people are feeling uneasy. And that’s understandable,” he said.
“Given the atrocity that occurred on Saturday and then this incident last night.”
AFP Commissioner Reece Kershaw said the attack would have an impact on Australian communities.
“This attack will have a significant impact on the Australian community, and I would like to reassure the Australian community that the AFP, together with its law enforcement partners, particularly under the joint counterterrorism team, is working to investigate this incident from all angles,” he said.
“The AFP, together with ASIO and New South Wales police, will continue to investigate how this incident occurred, and the individual involved.”
Director-general of domestic intelligence agency ASIO Mike Burgess explained why the church attack has been determined a terrorist attack compared with Saturday’s attack.
“Simple answer is to call it a terrorist act you need indications of, well, information or evidence that suggest actually the motivation was religiously motivated or ideologically motivated,” Burgess said.
“In the case of Saturday, that was not the case.
“In this case, the information we have and the police have before us, indicates that is strongly the case.
“That is why it was called an act of terrorism.”
Neil Fergus, chief executive of the Sydney-based consultancy Intelligent Risks, told Today this morning authorities would be trying to establish whether the alleged church attacker was part of a wider network.
“What we need to determine and what the public needs to know is was this a lone actor?” Fergus said.
“Was this a person who may have been radicalised by somebody else, but was he operating alone, or are there other people out there who are effectively accomplices?”
The AFP and ASIO have the powers to obtain warrants for monitoring communications between the alleged attacker and his circle of friends.
