What's happened
Five teenagers have been charged with terrorism offenses in connection with the stabbing of an Assyrian Christian bishop at Christ The Good Shepherd Church in Sydney. The arrests came after police raids in western Sydney following the knife attack at the church.
Why it matters
The arrests and charges of the teenagers in connection with the terrorist attack at the church highlight the ongoing threat of religiously motivated extremism in the community. The swift action by the police underscores the seriousness of the incident and aims to prevent future acts of violence.
What the papers say
The Australian Federation of Islamic Councils (AFIC), the Australian National Imams Council (ANIC), and the Lebanese Muslim Association (LMA) were left in the dark about the police raids in western Sydney, indicating a lack of communication between authorities and Muslim groups. The Joint Counter-Terrorism Team, comprised of federal and state police, the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, and the New South Wales Crime Commission, played a crucial role in the arrests and charges of the teenagers.
How we got here
The stabbing incident at Christ The Good Shepherd Church in Sydney's western suburb of Wakeley led to a series of police raids and arrests. The attack was deemed a terrorist incident motivated by religious extremism, with the bishop and priest injured during the live-streamed church service.
Common question
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