Was this a terrorist attack? Question all of Australia is asking
Watching the horrific scenes in Sydney’s Bondi Junction Westfield unfold, Australians all had the same question: Was this a terror attack?
National
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NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb has declared the Westfield Bondi Junction attack is unlikely to be terrorism related as investigations continue.
Speaking on Saturday night, Commissioner Webb said that early indications were that there was no ongoing threat to the community.
“If he is... the person that we believe, then we don’t have fears for that person holding an ideation,’’ she said.
“He is known to law enforcement.
“We will be providing regular updates. It is a very complex crime scene.”
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has described the death toll in Sydney as “beyond words or understanding” but said it was too early to speculate on any motive.
NSW Police previously told reporters that investigators are “not ruling anything out” including terrorism – but at least one eye witness at the scene said that the assailant appeared to be “on drugs” during the shocking attacks.
Speaking in Canberra shortly after 7pm, the Prime Minister said he had been briefed by the Australian Federal Police and the domestic spy agency ASIO.
“It would appear that this person has acted alone,’’ the Prime Minister said.
“The motives are not known yet. And speculation on that would not be helpful at this time.
“But we have been clear and transparent, and I know that the NSW Police, as well as the AFP, has made information available, as a priority, because we understand that the Australian public will be very shocked by this event.”
“For all of us tonight, the devastating scenes at Bondi Junction are beyond words or understanding. Australians will be shocked this evening. This was a horrific act of violence, indiscriminately targeted at innocent people going about an ordinary Saturday doing their shopping,” the Prime Minister said.
Mr Albanese said that his “heart goes out” to the families affected. He also paid tribute to the bravery of the police officer.
“She entered the proceedings that were taking place, obviously very dangerous, by herself, she is certainly a hero,’’ the Prime Minister said.
“There is no doubt that she saved lives through her actions.
“And some of the footage is quite extraordinary. Staff, for whom this should have been a normal shift, shoppers peacefully going about their lives and yet for these Australians, their first instinct in the face of danger was to help someone else.
“That is what we hold on to tonight as Australians. That’s confirmation of who we are. Brave, strong, together.”
Australian Federal Police Commissioner Reece Kershaw said he wanted to reassure the public that the AFP would offer whatever support it could to the NSW Police.
“Tonight the AFP is supporting NSW Police investigate a mass casualty event in Sydney,” he said.
“The AFP has deployed AFP members to the crime scene and we’ve offered our full
specialist capabilities such as digital forensics.
“It is too early to determine a motive and it would be unhelpful to speculate.
“I want to reassure the community that the AFP is providing NSW Police with whatever support is required, and tonight I’ve also spoken with the NSW Police Commissioner and the director general, ASIO.”
Asked if there was any information about whether there was any terrorist motivation in this attack, he said it was “too early to give that assessment”.
NSW Premier Chris Minns said he was racing back to Sydney and was shocked by the day’s events.
“I am horrified to hear about the events at Bondi Junction this afternoon,’’ Mr Minns said in a statement.
“I am making immediate arrangements to return to Sydney.
“I want to thank NSW Police, emergency services and first responders and the community for their bravery in the face of this shocking incident.”
Earlier, Assistant Commissioner Anthony Cook said he did not want to speculate on the motivations of the man who stabbed the shoppers before he was shot dead.
“Are you ruling out terrorism?,” a journalist asked.
“We are not ruling anything out,” he responded.
Originally published as Was this a terrorist attack? Question all of Australia is asking
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