WARNING: Distressing content.
The mother of three Sydney children who were killed when they were hit by a car in a horrific crash at Oatlands in 2020 described the priest stabbed during a service at a church in Western Sydney on Monday night as “a good man”.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Leila Abdallah speaks to Sunrise about church attack.
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Christian leader Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel, Father Isaac Royel and two churchgoers were stabbed during a livestreamed service at Wakeley’s Christ The Good Shepherd Church on Box Rd just before 7.10pm on Monday.
Following the livestream, an angry mob of hundreds descended on the church, prompting riot police to forcibly moved the crowd on after police cars were smashed.
Leila Abdallah praised the bishop, saying he had come to the hospital to visit her nephew while he was in a coma after the Oatlands crash tragedy.
“He is a good man and well-respected and well-loved by his community. He is someone who is not afraid to speak what he believes in,” she told Sunrise.
“He would be telling everyone to love and forgive.
“What he did is a true act of Christianity which is offering up prayers, forgiveness and love and this is what we are meant to do.”
The Abdallah family have widely been praised for their incredible forgiveness and strength after their children and one of their cousins were killed when a drunk and drugged driver hit them on a footpath as they were walking to get ice cream at Oatlands in February 2020.
Meanwhile, NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb said on Monday Strike Force Petrina had been formed to investigate the stabbing, with a decision made overnight to treat the incident as a terrorist act.
“A referral has been made to the joint counterterrorism investigation team that we will work jointly with NSW police lead with AFP and other Commonwealth agencies in this investigation,” she said on Tuesday morning.
Webb confirmed the teenager had not been on any terrorism watch lists, however, said police would allege he acted with “a degree of pre-meditation”.
“This should be an isolated incident, but it will be investigated and those involved can expect to be prosecuted,” she said.
Emmanuel was taken to Liverpool Hospital where he remains in a serious, but stable condition.
Royel was also taken to hospital, in a stable condition.
Four people were treated by ambulance paramedics at the scene.
Their injuries are not considered life-threatening.
Two police officers were also taken to hospital after being injured by members of the crowd who broke into “a number of houses to gain weapons to throw at the police”.
The Australian National Imams Council (ANIC) and the Australian Muslim community said they “unequivocally condemn” the attacks on Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel.
“These attacks are horrifying and have no place in Australia, particularly at places of worship and toward religious leaders,” they said in a statement on Monday night.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with Bishop Emmanuel and the victims, and we pray for their speedy recovery.
“We urge the community to stay calm and work together towards the safety and the security of all Australians.”
NSW Premier Chris Minns said the scene was disturbing but urged calm, adding that he convened a meeting of faith leaders representing religious communities across Western Sydney late on Monday night.
He said they “endorsed and supported a unanimous condemnation of violence in any form, called for the community to follow first responder and police instructions and called for calm in the community”.
“We’re calling on everyone to act with kindness and respect for each other,” he said.
Terrified worshippers have shared their prayers for their beloved priest.
“It was pretty bad,” a worshipper told 7NEWS.
“A lot of people are angry at the guy who (allegedly) tried to hurt our bishop and our priest.
“He’s our bishop, and we love him very much … we hope he’s OK.”
The incident comes two days after a stabbing rampage at Westfield Bondi Junction left six people dead and a dozen injured, including a baby girl. Attacker Joel Cauchi was shot dead during the rampage on Saturday.
There is no suggestion the two events are linked.
– With AAP
