2016 Home Hill stabbings
| 2016 Home Hill stabbings | |
|---|---|
| Part of crime in Australia | |
| Location | 30 Ninth Ave, Home Hill, Queensland, Australia |
| Coordinates | 19°39′43″S 147°24′52″E / 19.661974°S 147.414460°ECoordinates: 19°39′43″S 147°24′52″E / 19.661974°S 147.414460°E |
| Date |
August 23, 2016 11:15 pm AEST (UTC+10:00) |
Attack type | Stabbing |
| Deaths | 2 |
Non-fatal injuries | 1 |
| Perpetrator | Smail Ayad |
On 23 August 2016,[1] Smail Ayad (29) a French national committed a stabbing attack at a backpackers' hostel in Home Hill, Queensland, Australia. The attack caused the death of two people and a dog and left one person injured.[2]
It is alleged Ayad used the Arabic phrase "Allahu akbar" both during the attack and his arrest, and while police ruled out any links to extremism, they are still investigating whether he had a romantic interest in Ms Ayliffe-Chung.[3] Police have indicated Ayad had used cannabis on the night of the attack.[4] Ayad also sang the French national anthem during the attack.[5][6]
On 25 August 2016, 29-year-old French national Smail Ayad was charged with the crimes of murder, attempted murder, serious animal cruelty and serious assault.[7]
Attack
Ayad attacked Mia Ayliffe-Chung, his roommate as she lay in her bunk.[8] Ayad then stabbed hostel caretaker Grant Schultz in the leg and chased the hostel's pet dog Atarai around the yard stabbing the dog until it died.[9] A second British backpacker, Tom Jackson was also attacked when he tried to help her. He died several days later. The attacker, Smail Ayad, continued to scream "Allahu akbar" as police officers worked to subdue him, injuring several officers.[10]
Victims
British national, Mia Ayliffe-Chung (21), died at the scene.[11]
British national, Tom Jackson (30), suffered critical injuries in the attack and died five days later in hospital.[12]
Hostel caretaker, Grant Schultz (46), suffered stab wounds to the leg.[13]
The dog Atari died at the scene.[9]
Attacker
Smail Ayad, 29, was a French national[10] who is Muslim.[14] Ayad went out drinking once a week like many backpackers, where on Saturday nights he would travel to Ayr for rum or beer with other Frenchmen.[8]
Since his arrest, he has been transferred from Stuart prison to a secure mental health facility in Brisbane.[15]
Responses
The Islamic Council of Queensland criticised media reports for quickly linking use of this phrase with Islamic terrorism.[1] On 25 August 2016, the authorities were confident the stabbings were not an act of terrorism.[16] Several backpackers who have stayed at Home Hill before the double murder, spoke out against the violence that has broken out previously and the drinking culture among the backpackers.[17] The town was called “Hell Hill” by one of the backpackers even before the murder incident and the backpacker warned others to “avoid it at all costs”.[17] Mia Ayliffe-Chung’s mother, Rosie Ayliffe came to Australia for her daughter's funeral and began to discover the dark side of extreme working conditions on Australian farms.[17][18] She has written an open letter advising the Australian Government to change the current regulations for visa holders of 88 days of work on a farm to extend visa, where according to her, this matter is highly downplayed by the media in Australia and UK.[18]
References
- 1 2 "Queensland backpackers' killing: Police probe 'Allahu akbar' link in stabbing death of Mia Ayliffe-Chung". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 24 August 2016. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
- ↑ Robertson, Joshua (24 August 2016). "French man allegedly shouted 'Allahu Akbar' in fatal stabbing of British woman at Australian hostel". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
- ↑ "Accused backpacker killer moved to secure mental health facility". Abc.net.au. 2016-09-11. Retrieved 2016-09-13.
- ↑ "Smail Ayad remanded in custody over youth hostel stabbing". Abc.net.au. 2016-08-25. Retrieved 2016-09-13.
- ↑ "Mother of 'amazing' backpacker killed in Australian hostel pays tribute". The Guardian. 25 August 2016. Retrieved 27 August 2016.
- ↑ MARK SCHLIEBS (27 August 2016). "Smail Ayad: Helmet, mask for man accused of Townsville hostel attack". The Australian. Retrieved 27 August 2016.
- ↑ "Queensland backpacker killing: Man charged over Home Hill stabbing of Mia Ayliffe-Chung - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)". Abc.net.au. Retrieved 2016-09-29.
- 1 2 "Home Hill hostel killer Smail Ayad's phone call about Mia Ayliffe-Chung". News.com.au. Retrieved 2016-09-13.
- 1 2 Kyriacou, Kate; Chamberlin, Thomas (27 August 2016). "Dad's dash to hostel hero's side". The Courier-Mail. Retrieved 31 August 2016.
- 1 2 Farmer, Ben (25 August 2016). "Attacker may have been 'infatuated' with British backpacker stabbed to death in Australia". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
- ↑ "Queensland backpacker killing: Mia Ayliffe-Chung's mum wants daughter's ashes scattered around the world". Abc.net.au. Retrieved 2016-09-29.
- ↑ "Briton Tom Jackson dies in Queensland hospital after backpacker stabbing". Theguardian.com. Retrieved 2016-09-29.
- ↑ "Man charged with the murder of backpacker Mia Ayliffe-Chung". News Limited. Retrieved 2016-09-29.
- ↑ Nick Craven (15 October 2016). "'Goodbye, I love you, be careful': The haunting last words of Mia's mother as she left for gap year that saw her killed 'by a backpacker'". The Mail on Sunday. Retrieved 16 October 2016.
Although he is Muslim and shouted ‘Allahu Akbar’ during his bloody killing spree
- ↑ "Accused Home Hill killer moved to Brisbane". Couriermail.com.au. Retrieved 2016-09-13.
- ↑ Kyriacou, Kate; Chamberlin, Thomas; McMahon, Chris (25 August 2016). "Man, 29, charged over Home Hill hostel attack". The Courier-Mail. Retrieved 31 August 2016.
- 1 2 3 "Home Hill hostel stabbing: Underbelly of backpacker scene". News.com.au. Retrieved 2016-09-13.
- 1 2 "Rosie Ayliffe discovers 'horror stories of extreme proportions' about working holidays in Australia". Independent.co.uk. 2016-09-10. Retrieved 2016-09-13.