Issa Haddad granted bail over alleged involvement in riot in wake of Wakeley church stabbing
A man who police alleged incited violence after Assyrian Orthodox Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel was stabbed during a live-streamed service has been granted bail.
Fairfield
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A man who police alleged incited violence after Assyrian Orthodox Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel was stabbed during a live-streamed service has been granted bail.
Issa Haddad, 28, was charged with making threats of violence to cause fear after he allegedly joined a riot of about 2000 people at Christ the Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley on Monday night where 51 police were injured.
Haddad appeared at Parramatta Bail Court on Sunday via audio visual link from Amber Laurel Correctional Centre.
In court his legal aid lawyer, Skye Cesarone argued her client was “vulnerable” as he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and was undergoing regular treatment.
“The allegations are the words spoken by Haddad and I’d say they fall to the lower end of objective seriousness,” Ms Cesarone said.
Ms Cesarone said her client wouldn’t pose a risk to the community as he would reside with his father and report daily to Liverpool police station.
Haddad was arrested on Saturday at Horningsea Park during a morning raid by officers from Strike Force Dribs to investigate the stabbing of the 53-year-old religious leader and the subsequent riot.
Several attendees, including Father Isaac Royel – a senior parish priest who was ordained in 2016 – were also injured inside the church on the night and paramedics were forced to hide inside the building.
The attack on the bishop was labelled a terrorist event by police and an investigation will be led by the NSW Joint Counter Terrorism Team, Australian Federal Police, Australian Security Intelligence Organisation and the NSW Crime Commission.
The prosecution opposed Haddad’s release as the 28-year-old had posed a safety risk to the community, with police alleging he had a part in “inciting violence which resulted in numerous injuries” to police officers and worshippers.
“The defendant is alleged to have a part in a large public order incident which involved approximately 2000 people and numerous police vehicles were damaged,” the prosecutor said.
Magistrate Alan Railton granted Haddad bail on the condition he reported daily to Liverpool Police Station between 8am to 8pm.
“We might make this a daily one because there is still potentially a lot of heat in the situation but as time goes on, that can be mitigated,” Mr Railton said.
He also ordered Haddad to not enter the area of Wakeley, not leave his home between 7am to 7pm without his father and take his prescribed medications. The matter will reappear at Fairfield Local Court on April 29.
It comes as a second man, Sam Haddad, who allegedly yelled threats to kill a teen who allegedly stabbed bishop Emmanuel, was released on bail on Saturday after he was charged with riot and affray.
The 45-year-old’s Legal Aid lawyer told the court on Saturday there was “no allegation he is in physical altercation with police” or that he had caused “damage to property”.
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