SINGAPORE, Nov 10 — The man arrested for allegedly stabbing a Roman Catholic priest at St Joseph’s Church here has been identified as Basnayake Keith Spencer.

Straits Times (ST) reported that the suspect was convicted and imprisoned in 2019 after pleading guilty to damaging his ex-girlfriend by stabbing her while she was using drugs.

ST It also reported that the 37-year-old man was not a regular at the Bukit Timah church, but some parishioners said he had been seen there before.

Singapore’s CNA It was previously reported that Father Christopher Lee’s condition was stable after the surgery to close his wounds went well.

Lee, a priest at St Joseph’s Church, was attacked by a man with a knife while celebrating mass at 17.30 yesterday.

The suspect, a 37-year-old Singaporean Sinhalese man with serious injuries and a history of drug-related offences, was disarmed by members of the congregation and subsequently arrested by police officers.

Police believe that, based on preliminary investigations, the suspect acted alone and that the attack was not an act of terrorism.

The Singapore Interfaith Organization condemned the incident, while Prime Minister Lawrence Wong appealed for calm.