By Jack Gramenz and Peter Bodkin in Sydney

Police are hunting for as many as 50 people involved in a violent riot after a bishop’s stabbing at a western Sydney church while investigators wait to speak with the teen allegedly responsible for the attack.

The stabbing victim, Assyrian church bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel, has spoken publicly for the first time after the alleged terror attack, saying he forgives his accused assailant.

NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb said she knew the community wanted answers about the 16-year-old’s motivations, but detectives were yet to speak with him as he recovered under guard in hospital on Thursday.

Bishop Emmanuel was stabbed during a live-streamed sermon at Christ the Good Shepherd Church at Wakeley on Monday night.

The attack was declared a terrorist act due to the teen’s possible religious motivation, but he is yet to be charged over the incident.

One man has been charged over a subsequent riot outside the church, during which dozens of police were injured, their cars were vandalised and a cohort of officers and paramedics were forced to shelter inside the place of worship.

The 19-year-old, who was charged with rioting, affray and damaging property and is due to appear in court on Thursday, was not a member of the church community, Ms Webb said.

“(What) has been shown is that people just came along to participate in a riot and that’s disgraceful and disgusting,” she said.

As many as 50 people were wanted for questioning over the unrest, including several who disguised themselves that police were looking for public help to identify, Ms Webb added.

In an audio message released by the church earlier on Thursday, the bishop said he was doing fine and recovering quickly, while calling on followers to obey the law following the riot.

“I need you to act Christ-like, the lord Jesus never taught us to fight,” he said.

Bishop Emmanuel said he forgave the teen allegedly responsible for the stabbing, as well as “whoever sent (him) to do this”.

“I forgive whoever has done this act, I say to him, you’re my son, I love you, and I will always pray for you,” he said.

Police have seized the boy’s devices and are investigating whether he could have become radicalised in the lead-up to the attack.

Prominent Lebanese Muslim community leader Jamal Rifi said the teenager’s mother did not believe he was radicalised online, adding that the 16-year-old regretted the incident.

“He kept on apologising to his mum and saying sorry and all that sort of thing,” Dr Rifi told Sydney radio 2GB.

Bishop Emmanuel’s call for calm comes after western Sydney religious leaders also tried to quell community tensions in the wake of the attack.

Police declared a terrorist act because the teenager allegedly made comments in Arabic that referred to insults against “my prophet” before stabbing the bishop, who had previously publicly criticised Islam and other religions.

More law-enforcement resources have been directed to western Sydney and around places of worship following the attack.

An extra 70 additional officers have been deployed across the region to conduct high-visibility patrols.

Another 42 officers have been assigned to investigate the riot, during which some of the crowd tried to gain access to the alleged attacker while he was being held inside the church.

Investigators are collating evidence including mobile phone and CCTV vision to identify those involved.