Sydney church stabbing called 'terrorist' act, teen detained - CNA

Police said there was "a degree of premeditation" as the attacker travelled to the church, far from his home, with a knife. But Webb said police at this early stage of the investigation believe the attacker was acting alone.

The head of Australia's leading spy agency also said that the suspect appeared to have acted alone and there was no immediate need to raise the country's terror threat level.

"At this stage, it looks like the actions of an individual," Australian Security Intelligence Organisation head Mike Burgess said in rare public comments.

"At this point, there is no indication of anyone else involved, but that remains an open investigation."

Emergency crews said they attended around 30 people after the clash outside the church, and seven were taken to hospitals with injuries. Several police were hospitalised with injuries and 20 police vehicles were damaged, Webb said.

The teen is now being held at an undisclosed location and is believed to have also sustained knife injuries. Authorities had originally given the suspect's age as 15.

An AFP journalist at the scene late on Monday saw projectiles being hurled before police with riot shields and body armour eventually pushed the protesters away from the church.

Twenty police vehicles and some houses were damaged as the protesters threw bottles, bricks and other items.

One officer was "hit with a metal object and sustained a twisted knee and a chipped tooth", police said.

"Another constable sustained a broken jaw after he was hit with a brick and a fence paling".

Calm was eventually restored, but more officers were deployed to the neighbourhood to protect local religious buildings.

New South Wales state Premier Chris Minns urged people to not take the law into their hands.

"You will be met by the full force of the law if there's any attempt for tit-for-tat violence in Sydney over the coming days," Minns told reporters.

Minns also issued a joint statement with Christian and Muslim leaders calling for calm.

"We're calling on everyone to act with kindness and respect for each other", the statement said. "Now is the time to show that we are strong and united."

It was the second major stabbing attack in just three days in Australia's most populous city after six people were killed in a knife attack at a beachside mall in the Bondi area on Saturday.

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2024-04-15 23:14:00Z
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Church stabbing in Sydney wounds 4 including bishop, 15-year-old arrested - CNA

SYDNEY: At least four people including a bishop and a priest were wounded in a knife attack during a service at a church in Sydney on Monday (Apr 15), triggering clashes between angry residents and police. 

It was the second reported mass stabbing in just three days in the city after six people were killed in a knife attack at a mall in the Bondi area.

Australian police said in an update that a 15-year-old boy had been detained over the incident.

New South Wales acting assistant commissioner Andrew Holland said the suspect was being treated for wounds to his hand and had been taken to a secure location after the attack sparked community unrest.

Authorities earlier said that a "large police response" was underway and urged the public to avoid the area in Wakeley, a suburb about 30km west of Sydney's central business district.

A large crowd had quickly gathered outside the church after the attack at the Christ the Good Shepherd Church, throwing rocks at police and demanding they bring out the perpetrator, according to two witnesses.

Hundreds of members of the local community attempted to make their way past a phalanx of riot police to reach the suspect and a Reuters journalist said police fired pepper spray as they pushed back people onto nearby streets.

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

Emergency services told AFP that four men aged between 20 and 70 were being treated for "non-life threatening injuries" including lacerations. Eleven ambulances were earlier on location. 

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2024-04-15 15:36:06Z
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Europe joins US in urging Israel to show restraint after Iranian attack - CNA

JERUSALEM: Israel's European allies on Monday (Apr 15) urged the country to show restraint over Iran's weekend missile and drone attack, calling on Israeli leaders to step away from "the edge of the cliff" of escalation in the Middle East.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's war Cabinet, which is empowered to decide on the country's response, was set to convene on Monday afternoon, a government source said.

Israeli officials said the war Cabinet, which also met on Sunday, favoured retaliation but was divided over the timing and scale of any such response.

With the danger of open warfare erupting between Israel and Iran, and tension high over the war in Gaza, President Joe Biden has told Netanyahu the United States will not participate in any Israeli counter-offensive against Iran, US officials said.

Britain, France, Germany and the European Union's foreign policy chief all joined Washington and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in calling for restraint.

"We're on the edge of the cliff and we have to move away from it," Josep Borrell, the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, told Spanish radio station Onda Cero.

"We have to step on the brakes and reverse gear."

French President Emmanuel Macron urged Israel to set its sights on isolating Iran rather than escalating the situation. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz warned Iran not to carry out more attacks and said Israel must also contribute to de-escalation.

Russia has refrained from criticising its ally Iran in public over the strikes but expressed concern about the risk of escalation on Monday and also called for restraint.

"Further escalation is in no one's interests," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

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2024-04-15 13:08:37Z
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Problems in Middle East unsolvable within foreseeable future, peace efforts must continue to avoid calamity: PM Lee - CNA

SINGAPORE: While nothing is going to solve the ongoing conflict in the Middle East within the foreseeable future, efforts should still be made towards achieving peace, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Monday (Apr 15).

Small countries, like Singapore and New Zealand, have a role to play in developing a global consensus on the way forward, by clearly maintaining their stances and continuing to push for a rules-based global order, he said during a press conference with New Zealand PM Christopher Luxon.

Mr Luxon is on an official visit to Singapore until Tuesday, the first stop of his Southeast Asia trip.

In response to a question on whether the world is close to another World War and the role small countries can play amid heightened geopolitical tensions, Mr Lee said: “I do not think we are close to a world war; I think it is a very troubled world, and in particular, it’s a very troubled Middle East.”

REPERCUSSIONS AROUND THE WORLD

Over the weekend, Iran launched a direct attack on Israel for the first time, firing more than 300 missiles and drones. The attack caused only modest damage in Israel as most were shot down with the help of the United States, Britain and Jordan.

“The war in Gaza continues to have repercussions more widely, particularly in the Middle East, but actually with impact on opinions and on politics in countries around the world. Certainly in Europe and America, and in this part of the world too,” said Mr Lee.

“People are seized with it. They are very upset by what's happening, they have very strong feelings about it.”

He said small countries have to stick to their stances, and clearly explain their attitudes towards what is considered right or wrong, in order to contribute towards “developing a global consensus on the direction to go”.

“We cannot solve the problems in the Middle East. Nothing is going to solve the problems in the Middle East within the foreseeable future,” he said.

However, efforts can still be made to manage the situation by calming things down and trying to bring people back towards talking about peace, said Mr Lee.

That is going to be very hard, given the events of Oct 7 and what has happened since then, he noted.

“But if you don't try to do that, then you are saying the only way is the way of the sword, and I think that is going to lead to calamity for everybody,” said Mr Lee.

“So if you do not want calamity for your own people, then you have to make some very painful decisions. You need very strong and courageous leadership to guide your population forward to a less dangerous place.”

ROLE OF SMALL COUNTRIES

He added that small countries need to make their voices heard at international forums, such as regional ones like the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and global ones like the United Nations (UN), when the matter is being debated or voted on.

It is especially crucial for small countries to do this because along with humanitarian considerations, their principles and vital national interests are at stake, said Mr Lee.

“Our vital national interest is an international order which is orderly, which has got a certain system in it, which enables countries big and small to live and coexist together; if possible, prosper together. And where there is a basis to decide things objectively and not just based on the law of the jungle and 'might is right',” he said.

In response to another question on the need for small countries to diversify their trading bases, Mr Lee said Singapore does business wherever the business is, and noted that “China is a very big market”.

At the same time, Singapore also seeks to enhance its cooperation and trade with other partners, he added.

“For this part of the world, I think that means having an open region — one with connections to America, to Europe, to India, to Australia and New Zealand. And to develop those ties so that you are able to cooperate omnidirectionally,” said Mr Lee.

“If there are ups and downs in one place, you cannot help being affected by them, but you may hopefully not be swamped by them.”

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2024-04-15 09:07:13Z
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Kuala Lumpur airport shooting suspect arrested in Kelantan amid nationwide manhunt - CNA

SINGAPORE: The suspect who targeted his estranged wife in a shooting at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) on Sunday (Apr 14) has been arrested.

Hafizul Harawi, 38, was caught in Kota Bharu, Kelantan on Monday afternoon.

He allegedly opened fire at the entrance of the Terminal 1 arrival hall at about 1.20am.

Two shots were fired towards her from about 3m to 4m away. A bullet hit one of her bodyguards in the abdomen while the other bullet missed her.

The bodyguard is reported to be in stable condition in hospital.

Two members of the public were also injured when the man lit and threw firecrackers as he walked towards his wife to attack her. 

POLICE REFRAINED FROM "ENGAGING" SUSPECT

The shooting sparked a nationwide manhunt and tighter policing at Malaysia's borders and states.

Selangor police chief Hussein Omar Khan said the police had refrained from "engaging" the suspect at KLIA to avoid jeopardising public safety. 

The area where the suspect opened fire was crowded and engaging him could have led to a more serious incident, he said. 

"It was better to let the suspect leave the area and keep members of the public safe.

"If we engaged him, there would have been a shootout. There were children among the many people there,” he said when asked why the police did not apprehend the suspect on the spot.

Police said the suspect had a personal vendetta against his wife and they were in the process of getting a divorce.

Hussein said police had recorded statements from 11 witnesses, including the suspect’s wife, policemen and airport security personnel.

“We will interview several more people, including business partners (of the wife),” he added.

TIGHTENED SECURITY MEASURES

At the same time, Hussein pointed out that several improvements will be made to tighten security at KLIA and raise the efficiency of police personnel.

The Selangor police chief highlighted the use of electric scooters by police officers as one of the measures, noting that this has been planned since the start of the year.

He added that Selangor police will get the scooters soon. "When we have these scooters, the police response will be faster and could patrol a wider area in a short time," Hussein said.

According to him, the police will also propose to KLIA to install scanners to tighten control and improve early detection, especially for individuals carrying prohibited items such as firecrackers and firearms. 

Unlike other countries that have scanners, people can currently enter the airport area without strict controls, said Hussein.

"At the airport, there are airside and landside where the airside (area) is prohibited while the landside (area) is open. So maybe there should be stricter control there so that people don't bring prohibited items to endanger civilians at the airport," he added. 

Besides installing scanners, Hussein also recommended closing the corridors near the gates of the arrival and departure halls. 

The vehicle parking lane near the arrival and departure gates also exposed KLIA to high risk, as individuals could park their cars and enter the airport easily, he said. 

"This is a proposal by the police for a long time ago. We used to disallow the public from entering the area because of security factors.

"It threatens the security of the airport area because people can drive in and enter the airport without control," he said.

Meanwhile, the outer lane would make it easier for police officers to patrol, said Hussein, thus making it more difficult for people to carry out undesirable acts. 

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2024-04-15 09:37:15Z
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Israel, Iran trade accusations at Security Council meeting - CNA

ON "THE BRINK" 

Addressing the emergency meeting, Iran's UN ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani insisted the Islamic Republic was exercising its "inherent right to self-defence".

"The Security Council ... failed in its duty to maintain international peace and security," Iravani said.

Therefore, Tehran "had no choice" but to respond, he said, adding that his country does "not seek escalation or war", but will respond to any "threat or aggression".

He also lashed out at Israel.

"It is time for the Security Council to shoulder its responsibility and address the real threat to international peace and security," Iravani said.

The body "must take urgent and punitive measures to compel this regime to stop a genocide against the people of Gaza".

The rising tensions come against the backdrop of Israel's six-month-old war against Hamas in Gaza, which began after the Palestinian militant group's Oct 7 attack in Israel, which resulted in the deaths of 1,170 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures.

Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed at least 33,729 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry.

Since the 1979 Iranian revolution, Israel has been considered a sworn enemy by the Islamic Republic, which calls for Israel's destruction.

Until now, Tehran had refrained from attacking Israel head-on, and the two countries have opted instead to confront each other through third parties.

On Sunday, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged restraint, telling the emergency meeting that "neither the region nor the world can afford more war."

"Now is the time to defuse and de-escalate," he said.

Guterres also repeated his condemnation of Iran's strikes on Israel, and the attack on Iran's consulate in Damascus.

"It's time to step back from the brink," Guterres said.

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2024-04-15 03:09:38Z
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Australian police say Sydney knife attacker may have targeted women - CNA

Witnesses described how attacker Joel Cauchi, 40, wearing shorts and an Australian national rugby league jersey, ran through the mall with a knife. He was killed by Inspector Amy Scott, who confronted him solo while he was on the rampage.

Police have said Cauchi had mental health issues in the past and there was no indication ideology was a motive.

Violent crimes such as Saturday's stabbing are rare in the country of about 27 million people, which has some of the world's toughest gun and knife laws.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said "the gender breakdown ... was concerning" when asked on ABC Radio if it was a gender-motivated attack.

"The New South Wales Police have said they're looking at that as part of the investigation," he said.

The only man who was killed by Cauchi during the attack was a mall security guard.

The Australian national flag is flying at half-mast across the country, including at the Parliament House and Sydney's Harbour Bridge, in honour of the victims. Sydney Opera House's sails will be lit with a black ribbon on Monday evening.

Chinese state TV reported on Sunday that one Chinese citizen was among those who had died in the attack, without revealing the identity of the victim, adding that another Chinese citizen was injured.

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