Man shouting ‘Allahu Akbar’ kills British in Australia

A young British woman was killed and a British man critically hurt after a Frenchman allegedly stabbed three people while saying “Allahu Akbar” at an Australian backpacker’s hostel, the police said on Wednesday.

The incident took place late Tuesday at Home Hill, a rural town south of Townsville in far north Queensland, deputy commissioner Steve Gollschewski told reporters in Brisbane.

The woman has been named locally as Mia Ayliffe-Chung, the Independent reported.

Gollschewski said officers were called to the hostel at about 11.15pm and found the 21-year-old woman dead and a 30-year-old man in a critical condition. A local man was also injured in the attack but has since been released from hospital, he added.

“Initial inquiries indicate that comments which may be construed of being of an extremist nature were made by the alleged offender,” he added.

“It is alleged that the suspect used the phrase ‘Allahu Akbar’ when arrested by police.

“While this information will be factored into the investigation we are not ruling out any motivations at this stage, whether they be political or criminal.”

When asked if the 29-year-old Frenchman, who is in police custody, had links to the so-called Islamic State group, Gollschewski said “no” and added that there was no ongoing threat to the community.