Sunrise host Nat Barr asks the question on the minds of many Australians after ... trends now

Natalie Barr has asked the question on the minds of many Australian after a 16-year-old boy allegedly attacked a high-profile bishop during a live-streamed sermon in Sydney's west.

In a video of the attack, the boy in all black is seen approaching and stabbing Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel in the head and chest at the altar of the Christ The Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley at about 7.10pm on Monday.

Horrified parishioners are seen rushing to the bishop's aid while others grabbed the assailant and held him captive inside the church.

The terrorist attack has sent shockwaves around Australia following the deaths of six innocent shoppers at Westfield Bondi Junction on Saturday.

Barr asked former NSW deputy police commissioner Mick Willing how the alleged attacker may have become radicalised.

She asked: 'Where does someone like this come from? Are they sort of sitting on their computer, in their spare bedroom, being turned into a terrorist?'

Mr Willing said it was a 'difficult question' to answer due to the limited information currently known about the alleged attacker's background. 

'In answer to your question Nat, sometimes that does occur,' he said.

'Sometimes people get radicalised online, sometimes their radicalised in different ways. So every situation like this is unique unfortunately.

'All of that will be part of the investigation, they will search holdings across a range of agencies to see whether or not he was known to authorities.'

The 16-year-old boy was captured on the live stream of the attack shouting 'Allahu Akbar' as he stabbed the bishop in the head, neck and torso at least eight times. 

Horrified parishioners leapt into action, with some rushing to the bishop's aid and others helping to detain the teenager inside the church.

Video showed the alleged 16-year-old perpetrator detained by police on the ground inside the church before

read more from dailymail.....