Australian police have filed terrorism charges against a 16-year-old boy accused of stabbing a bishop and a priest. If found guilty, he could potentially be sentenced to life imprisonment.

A 16-year-old boy, accused of stabbing two clerics during a church service in the eastern Australian city of Sydney, has been charged with committing a terrorist offense. The boy, currently hospitalized for treatment of injuries, mentioned the Prophet Muhammad being insulted after attacking Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel and Reverend Isaac Royel at an Assyrian Orthodox service on Monday.

The terrorism charge grants police broader authority to investigate whether the suspect acted independently or as part of a larger network. The boy's family has previously noted his struggles with anger management and behavioral issues, describing him as having a "short fuse," but they have not observed any signs of radicalization.

"During a press conference on Friday in Sydney, Federal Police Commissioner Reece Kershaw stated that investigators visited a medical facility yesterday to interview the alleged offender, where he was officially charged with committing a terrorist act.

Authorities cited the attack as a terrorist act due to the teenager's suspected religious motivation and the significant distance he traveled, approximately 90 minutes from his home to the church.

If convicted, the offense carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

The boy's lawyer, Greg Scragg, mentioned that the teenager has a history of knife-related offenses and was scheduled to meet with a psychiatrist.

Scragg also noted that the boy has exhibited behaviors indicative of mental illness or intellectual disability for a long time."

Police are currently engaged in an ongoing search for up to 50 individuals involved in a riot that ensued following the church attacks.

During the riot, which saw the participation of approximately 600 individuals, fifty-one police officers sustained injuries. The disturbance unfolded over hours as the crowd congregated at the church, some demanding that the boy responsible be handed over. The boy himself suffered severe hand injuries while being subdued by parishioners.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese expressed disappointment at the events, particularly condemning the violence against law enforcement officers.

"The response, as a Sydneysider, was very disappointing, with police being attacked; they should be treated with respect at all times," Albanese remarked during an interview with radio station 3AW.

"Our police perform extraordinary work to ensure our safety, and they shouldn't have been subjected to the attacks that occurred on that evening. There have been charges filed as a result," he added.

The bishop, who was the target of Monday's attack, conveyed in an audio statement released on Thursday that he is "doing fine" and recovering swiftly. He expressed forgiveness towards his attacker and urged for calm in the aftermath of the incident.

This attack occurred shortly after another stabbing incident in Sydney on Saturday, where a man fatally stabbed six individuals in a bustling shopping mall before being shot dead by a police officer. Authorities have stated that this earlier attack was not believed to be terrorism-related, attributing it to the suspect's history of mental illness.