THE Singaporean man arrested for stabbing a priest at a church in Bukit Timah has been identified as Basnayake Keith Spencer.
Basnayake, 37, had previously been seen at St Joseph’s Church in Upper Bukit Timah but was not a regular, parishioners said.
A video circulating online following the attack on 57-year-old Reverend Christopher Lee on Saturday showed a lean, bald man in a bloodied white T-shirt being led away from the church with his hands behind his back.
The Straits Times found out that the man in the video is Basnayake. He was convicted and jailed in 2019 for causing hurt with a dangerous weapon, having pleaded guilty to stabbing his former girlfriend at a party while he was on drugs.
Ahead of morning mass yesterday, at least three members of the church’s parish emergency preparedness task force were seen patrolling the church’s premises. They also conducted bag checks on some churchgoers.
At the mass, parishioners were updated about Father Lee’s condition. The church said the parish priest’s surgery went well and he was resting.
The church also posted an update on Facebook that Father Lee is in stable condition, and remains in hospital so that doctors can monitor him.
Police said at a press conference yesterday that five weapons had been found in the assailant’s possession, including the folding knife used in the attack.
The attack took place during the church’s monthly children’s mass, while Holy Communion was being given out.
Churchgoers said yesterday that they were still in shock that an attack had occurred at their church.
The suspect will be charged in court today with the offence of voluntarily causing grievous hurt with a dangerous weapon, the police said.
If convicted, the offence, under Section 326 of Penal Code 1871, carries a punishment of life imprisonment, or imprisonment for a term which may extend to 15 years. The offender shall also be liable to caning and/or a fine.
Police will also be seeking a court order to remand the man at the Institute of Mental Health for psychiatric evaluation.
The attacker, who is Sinhalese, had previously declared to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority that he is a Christian, said the police.
There is currently no evidence to suggest that this is a religiously motivated attack, they added.
The National Council of Churches of Singapore (NCCS) said it strongly condemned the attack, and that it was grateful that the Archdiocesan Emergency Response team and congregation members were able to intervene and restrain the assailant.
“We pray for the perpetrator even though we do not know the reasons behind his actions at this point,” said the NCCS president, Bishop Lu Guan Hoe, in a letter to Archbishop William Goh, who heads the Roman Catholic church in Singapore.
On Instagram, the Mufti of Singapore, Dr Nazirudin Mohd Nasir, said: “We stand together with Catholics and all faith communities in Singapore in protecting the safety and sanctity of all places of worship, and in reinforcing the peaceful nature of our respective teachings.”
The Hindu Endowments Board and Hindu Advisory Board also expressed sadness at the incident in a joint statement on Facebook.
“Acts of violence have no place in our society, especially in sacred places meant for peace and reflection,” the statement read.
The boards said the Hindu community too stands united in solidarity with the Catholic community and their leaders during this time, and extended their sympathies to Father Lee and his loved ones.
Rabbi Mordechai Abergel, the chief Rabbi of the Jewish Welfare Board, in a statement on Facebook conveyed sadness at what he called a “distressing” event.
“As a community that honours all places of worship, we stand in solidarity with our Catholic friends, praying for peace, healing and strength across all faiths,” he said.
The Inter-Religious Organisation, which represents 10 faiths – the Baha’i faith, Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Judaism, Sikhism, Taoism and Zoroastrianism – had on Saturday condemned the attack, and said acts of violence in a place of worship cannot be tolerated. — The Straits Times/ANN
