Sydney church stabbing: Attack on Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel at Wakeley may be linked to resurfaced video showing the stabbing victim making controversial remarks about Islam

A bishop of the Assyrian Orthodox Church who was stabbed during a livestreamed church service in Sydney had been critical of Islam in a video recorded four months ago.

Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel was preaching at Christ The Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley, western Sydney, just after 7pm on Monday when a 16-year-old boy walked up to the altar and allegedly stabbed him several times.

In a separate video of the aftermath of the alleged terror attack, the boy said in Arabic: “If they had not insulted my prophet, I would not have come here. If he had not interfered with my religion, I would not have come here.”

Churchgoers said he also repeatedly used the Islamic phrase “Allahu Akbar.”

The teenager’s comment about an attack on his prophet may have referred to the bishop’s appearance in a video made last December for the PBD Podcast, presented by US broadcaster Patrick Bet-David.

On the podcast, Bishop Emmanuel questioned Islamic beliefs surrounding Jesus, whom he calls Isa, saying “the truth hurts.”

READ MORE: The Miracle That Saved Bishop Mar Marie Emmanuel’s Life and Stopped His Alleged Assailant from Killing Him – ‘Act of God’

The alleged knifeman (held in the photo) has been labeled a suspected terrorist by police

‘Your book (the Qur’an) says that Isa, the son of Mary, has gone to heaven alive and that he will come again to judge the dead and the living.

‘If I ask a Muslim, “Who judges?”, they will say: God.

‘Well, you’re telling me that this prophet (Muhammad) will judge, so which one is which? Did the prophet take on the role of God, did God go on vacation and come and take his position?”

The bishop said: ‘Isa is the living messiah, even says (the Quran)’.

‘Now let me ask you, my dear Muslim, if you claim that Isa is a prophet, how come all those other prophets that you believe in – you believe in Moses, you believe in Isa, you believe in all the prophets of the world? the old Testament.

‘Why is it that none of the Old Testament prophets were called “The Word of God” except Isa? Why?’

Bishop Emmanuel then spoke about Jesus’ birth to Mary and how he is the son of God.

“How is it that all the prophets and every human being on this planet were born of an earthly father and an earthly mother, while Jesus, son of Mary, was born a virgin,” he said.

‘He has an earthly mother, but no earthly father. For his father (is) he who is in heaven.”

The outspoken bishop added: “The reason Mohammed failed is because he is dead. Their book states that…

‘I know the truth hurts. I don’t offend people, I speak the truth. And if it offends you, I’m truly sorry. Not. I don’t regret that.’

He later told his fellow panelists on the podcast, “If you go to heaven, I can assure you… Mohammed will not greet you, Buddha will not greet you, (Hindu deity) Krishna will not greet you, because they won’t do that. .

‘There will only be one, who is the way, the truth and the life. It will be Jesus Christ of Nazareth, who died for you and me.”

Bishop Emmanuel prayed for his alleged attacker moments after he was injured on Monday evening.

The New South Wales Ambulance Service said four people were injured in the incident.

After the attack, an angry crowd of about 2,000 people swarmed the church as riots broke out and police struggled to maintain order.

A crowd gathered outside Christ The Good Shepherd Church (pictured) in Wakeley after the incident, resulting in a number of other injuries

More than 100 police officers were eventually called in to deal with the unrest, and two were taken to hospital with injuries, police said.

Both the bishop and his alleged attacker underwent surgery Tuesday morning.

The alleged teenage terrorist reportedly cut off his own finger during the alleged attack

ASIO chief Mike Burgess said the attack “appears to be religiously motivated, but we are continuing our lines of inquiry.”

On the podcast, Bishop Emmanuel (pictured) questioned Islamic beliefs surrounding Jesus, who he calls Isa, and said ‘the truth hurts’