The video shows the Islamist trying to stab cops, so you've been warned. I bystander was stabbed to death. The cops took a lot of chances.
Melbourne attack: police name Hassan Khalif Shire Ali and say he was known to them
Police are treating an attack at Bourke Street mall in Melbourne in which one person was stabbed to death and two others injured as a terrorist incident.
The man, identified as Hassan Khalif Shire Ali, 30, drove a 4x4 truck loaded with gas bottles into the city centre, ignited the vehicle in a ball of flames and then attacked passers-by with a knife.
He was shot by police at the scene of the attack and died in hospital on Friday night.
Counter-terrorism investigators were raiding two addresses in Werribee and Meadows Heights on Saturday morning, police said.
Graham Ashton, the chief commissioner of Victoria police, said the attacker was also known to federal intelligence agencies but was not being actively monitored.
“He is a brother of a person that we did arrest last year ,” Ashton told the Nine Network.
“He is someone that is known to us but we certainly haven’t had any information of recent times that would suggest he he was planning anything, or that he had the intent to do what he did last night, unfortunately.”
Police said they had spoken to Shire Ali’s wife.
Ashton said firefighters found barbecue-style gas cylinders in the vehicle.
He said there were no indications that the trial of James Gargasoulas, who entered 33 pleas of not guilty over a car attack that killed six and injured dozens on Bourke Street last year, was the motivation for this incident.
The Victorian government’s counter terrorism subcommittee of cabinet was due to meet at 9am on Saturday to discuss the attack.
The Victorian premier, Daniel Andrews, said Melbournians were going about their business as normal and people could expect to see an increased police presence in the city and at major events including the Flemington races and Armistice centenary commemorations.
“Our city and state is stronger than this act of evil. We will not be defined by it,” he told the Nine Network.
Witnesses said they heard a loud explosion and saw the car burst into flames outside a Target store on Bourke Street at about 4.20pm.
Witnesses said the attacker stabbed the victim, believed to be aged in his 60s, in the face. The victim died at the scene despite desperate efforts to save him.
The other two victims, both men, are recovering from non-life-threatening injuries.
One of the victims, is Tasmanian retiree Rod Patterson, 58, who had just returned from a holiday overseas and had intervened to try and stop the attack, The Mercury newspaper reported.
His wife Maree thanked well-wishers in a Facebook post.
“Unfortunately we got caught up in the attack in Bourke Street this afternoon and Rodney was hurt — good news is he is in a great hospital and doing OK given the circumstances — can’t take calls at the moment but will speak to everyone when I can,” she wrote.
“Thanks to everyone for their wishes and caring.”
Civilians used a cafe chair and a shopping trolley to help police stop the man’s attack.
The attacker had history of minor drug, theft and driving offences, lived in Melbourne’s north-western suburbs and came to Australia from Somalia in the 1990s, Ashton said.
Islamic State later claimed the attack via its Amaq media agency, but there was no independent corroboration of the group’s claim.
Ashton said there was “a lot more work” to be done at the crime scene and Bourke Street would probably remain cordoned off until 9am on Saturday. He said police were not aware of any continuing threat.
Footage circulating on social media showed a man advancing towards police officers after the vehicle exploded and attempting to stab them, and then falling backwards after what sounded like a gunshot. One of the officers had their weapon drawn.
https://www.theguardian.com/austral...et-attack-dead-injured-man-arrested-stabbings
Melbourne attack: police name Hassan Khalif Shire Ali and say he was known to them
Police are treating an attack at Bourke Street mall in Melbourne in which one person was stabbed to death and two others injured as a terrorist incident.
The man, identified as Hassan Khalif Shire Ali, 30, drove a 4x4 truck loaded with gas bottles into the city centre, ignited the vehicle in a ball of flames and then attacked passers-by with a knife.
He was shot by police at the scene of the attack and died in hospital on Friday night.
Counter-terrorism investigators were raiding two addresses in Werribee and Meadows Heights on Saturday morning, police said.
Graham Ashton, the chief commissioner of Victoria police, said the attacker was also known to federal intelligence agencies but was not being actively monitored.
“He is a brother of a person that we did arrest last year ,” Ashton told the Nine Network.
“He is someone that is known to us but we certainly haven’t had any information of recent times that would suggest he he was planning anything, or that he had the intent to do what he did last night, unfortunately.”
Police said they had spoken to Shire Ali’s wife.
Ashton said firefighters found barbecue-style gas cylinders in the vehicle.
He said there were no indications that the trial of James Gargasoulas, who entered 33 pleas of not guilty over a car attack that killed six and injured dozens on Bourke Street last year, was the motivation for this incident.
The Victorian government’s counter terrorism subcommittee of cabinet was due to meet at 9am on Saturday to discuss the attack.
The Victorian premier, Daniel Andrews, said Melbournians were going about their business as normal and people could expect to see an increased police presence in the city and at major events including the Flemington races and Armistice centenary commemorations.
“Our city and state is stronger than this act of evil. We will not be defined by it,” he told the Nine Network.
Witnesses said they heard a loud explosion and saw the car burst into flames outside a Target store on Bourke Street at about 4.20pm.
Witnesses said the attacker stabbed the victim, believed to be aged in his 60s, in the face. The victim died at the scene despite desperate efforts to save him.
The other two victims, both men, are recovering from non-life-threatening injuries.
One of the victims, is Tasmanian retiree Rod Patterson, 58, who had just returned from a holiday overseas and had intervened to try and stop the attack, The Mercury newspaper reported.
His wife Maree thanked well-wishers in a Facebook post.
“Unfortunately we got caught up in the attack in Bourke Street this afternoon and Rodney was hurt — good news is he is in a great hospital and doing OK given the circumstances — can’t take calls at the moment but will speak to everyone when I can,” she wrote.
“Thanks to everyone for their wishes and caring.”
Civilians used a cafe chair and a shopping trolley to help police stop the man’s attack.
The attacker had history of minor drug, theft and driving offences, lived in Melbourne’s north-western suburbs and came to Australia from Somalia in the 1990s, Ashton said.
Islamic State later claimed the attack via its Amaq media agency, but there was no independent corroboration of the group’s claim.
Ashton said there was “a lot more work” to be done at the crime scene and Bourke Street would probably remain cordoned off until 9am on Saturday. He said police were not aware of any continuing threat.
Footage circulating on social media showed a man advancing towards police officers after the vehicle exploded and attempting to stab them, and then falling backwards after what sounded like a gunshot. One of the officers had their weapon drawn.
https://www.theguardian.com/austral...et-attack-dead-injured-man-arrested-stabbings
