Sunrise host Nat Barr poses the question to many Australians after a horrific church stabbing in Sydney

Natalie Barr has asked the question of many after a 16-year-old boy allegedly stabbed a bishop during a live-streamed service in Sydney’s west.

Video of the attack showed the boy in all black approaching and stabbing Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel in the head and chest at the altar of Christ The Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley at around 7.10pm on Monday.

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

The terror attack came just two days after six people were killed in a knife attack at Westfield Bondi Junction in the city’s east on Saturday.

Barr asked former NSW Deputy Commissioner Mick Willing how the alleged attacker may have been radicalised.

She asked, ‘Where does such a one come from? Are they kind of sitting on their computer in their spare bedroom and being turned into a terrorist?’

Willing said it was a “tough question” to answer because of the limited information you knew about the alleged attacker.

“In answer to your question Nat, sometimes it happens,” he said.

‘Sometimes people are radicalized online, sometimes they are radicalized in different ways. So every situation like this is unfortunately unique.

“All of this will be part of the investigation, they will be scouring holdings across a number of agencies to see if he was known to the authorities or not.”

The 16-year-old boy was caught on the live stream of the attack shouting the Islamic phrase ‘Allahu Akbar’ and witnesses said he was speaking in Arabic and said the Christian bishop had brought this on himself by ‘cursing my prophet’.

Police will investigate the apparent religious motivation for the stabbing, which left the bishop with eight wounds to the head, neck and torso.

Terrified parishioners sprang into action, with some rushing to the bishop’s aid and others helping to detain the teenager inside the church.

Video showed the suspected 16-year-old perpetrator being held by police on the ground inside the church before speaking in Arabic.

It is understood that the words translate to: ‘If he did not swear at my prophet, I would not be here. If he didn’t get involved in my religion, I wouldn’t be here’.

One of the men involved in restraining the teenager after the attack before police arrived described how he approached the teenager from behind and forcefully pushed him to the ground.

“He kept saying, ‘Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar,'” the man said in a video posted on social media.

The Australian National Imams Council and individual Muslims have publicly condemned the attack on Bishop Emmanuel.

“These attacks are appalling and have no place in Australia, especially in places of worship and against religious leaders,” the Imams’ Council said in a statement.

Shocking new details emerge about a teenage boy’s criminal record

The teenager was charged with a number of offenses following an incident at a Sydney train station last November, reported ABC.

The charges included possession of a knife, being armed with a weapon with intent to commit an indictable offence, stalking and/or intimidation and recklessly destroying or damaging property.

He had been on bail before a court hearing in January where the charges were ‘proved’ but dismissed with a good behavior bond issued.

The outlet reported that there were no surveillance orders in place when he allegedly carried out the attack on Monday night.

‘Miracle’ saves the bishop’s life

Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel’s life was saved when his alleged attacker’s knife did not open properly.

Close friend Danny Abdallah spoke to the bishop as he recovered in hospital overnight and revealed fresh new details about the incident on Tuesday morning.

Abdallah – who lost three of his children and his niece to a drunk and drugged driver – called the bishop’s miraculous escape an “act of God”.

The bishop remains in hospital after undergoing surgery on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, temporary powers have been given to police to allow them to search people, vehicles and property following the alleged attack.

The incident was declared an act of terrorism by NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb and confirmed by the Police Minister, triggering the legislation in the state.

Officers will be able to search people, vehicles and property without a warrant, set up roadblocks, cordon off areas and require verification of IDs.

The powers, granted to prevent further attacks, will last for two weeks.