Singapore charges man with stabbing priest during Mass

By Xinghui Kok

A Singaporean man was charged on Monday with stabbing a Catholic priest celebrating a weekend Mass, court papers showed, but authorities said there was no evidence the attack was religiously motivated or an act of terror.

The wealthy southeast Asian city state of 6 million is known for its safety, but crime has increased 4.1% to 10,106 in the first half of 2024 from a year earlier, police data shows.

Basnayake Keith Spencer, 37, is accused of using a foldable knife to stab parish priest Christopher Lee Kwong Heng, 57, in the mouth during Saturday evening mass at St Joseph’s Church in the upmarket Bukit Timah district, the charge sheet showed.

Spencer was disarmed and held by members of the congregation until police officers arrived. Among the four other weapons on him were a penknife and a mallet, authorities said.

"There is currently no evidence to suggest that it was a religiously motivated attack or an act of terror," the home ministry said in a statement.

Spencer was charged with voluntarily causing grievous hurt using a weapon likely to cause death, which carries a life sentence, or up to 15 years in jail, along with a caning and a fine. Media said he was not represented in court.

His motive for the attack was not immediately clear. The ministry said he had a history of offences of causing serious hurt and drug use.

The priest, who suffered cuts to his tongue, upper lip and a corner of his mouth, is recovering in hospital.

Religious leaders across the spectrum in Singapore, where religious diversity has been hailed as "remarkable" by the Pew Research Centre, condemned the attack, voicing solidarity with Catholics, who make up about 7% of citizens and permanent residents.

The attack was a wake-up call for all religious organisations and their members "to be more vigilant in looking out for suspicious activity," said Singapore Archbishop William Goh.

Police have since stepped up patrols at places of worship.

In a separate incident on Friday, police said a 42-year-old man called police, saying there was a woman sitting on the ledge of a tower used by birdwatchers in a park.

When they arrived, the man used an improvised flamethrower to attack a police officer, the police added.

Upon refusing to drop the weapon, he was shot by an officer and later charged with attempted murder, they said.