A British woman was stabbed to death on Wednesday at a backpackers’ hostel in Australia and two people were injured, one seriously, in what police say may have been an “extremist” attack.
A spokesman for Queensland state police said the suspected attacker, in Australia on a tourist visa, was a 29-year-old French national who had yelled “Allahu Akbar” (Allah is the greatest) when arrested.
A 21-year-old British woman died at the scene of the attack, south of Townsville in the state’s far north, police said. A 30-year-old British man was in critical condition in hospital.
“Initial inquiries indicate that comments which may be construed of being of an extremist nature were made by the alleged offender,” Queensland Police Service Deputy Commissioner Steve Gollschewski told reporters.
“This person appears to have acted alone,” he said. “He is a visitor to Australia and has no known local connections, however investigations are ongoing.”
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