Wakeley church stabbing: Parents of teenage boy who allegedly attacked bishop ... trends now
The devastated parents of a teenager charged with terrorism after allegedly stabbing a bishop claim he 'wasn't in his right mind'.
The 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is accused of stabbing Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel, 55, while he was delivering a livestreamed sermon at Christ The Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley, in Sydney's west, on April 15.
The incident sparked a riot outside the church with a crowd of 2,000 people chanting 'bring him out' and 'an eye for an eye' as police kept the teenager inside the building amid fears for his safety.
His parents have now broken their silence, thanking the police for protecting their son and expressing relief that Bishop Emmanuel survived the alleged attack.
The 16-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, allegedly stabbed Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel while he was delivering a livestreamed sermon in front of parishioners at Christ The Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley in Sydney's west on Monday, April 15, just after 7pm (pictured). He was later charged with committing a terrorist act
Four boys aged were arrested in anti-terror raids last Wednesday in western Sydney. They included a 15-year-old, a 16-year-old and two aged 17 (pictured: one of those arrested)
'If he's truly religious, like we raised him, he wouldn't have done that,' she told ABC.
'He's made a big mistake, a very big mistake.
'But I believe he wasn't in his right mind.'
Their son was later charged with terrorism and faces a possible life sentence.
Following a series of raid in the aftermath of the alleged attack, police have brought charges against six more boys, some as young as 14, who are accused of being part of a terrorist network.
At primary school he was bullied and would lash out, his parents said.
'In school, I used to get scared whenever I'd get a phone call, because I knew that
