Sydney: A knife-wielding man shouting “Allahu Akbar” on Tuesday went on a stabbing rampage in Sydney’s busy central business district (CBD) allegedly killing one woman and injuring another.
The attacker has been identified as 21-year-old Mert Ney and is said to have a history of medical illness.
According to news reports, the accused was previously arrested and charged in April for possessing a knife.
He was put on a conditional release order when he faced the court in June, to check himself into a mental health facility but he had allegedly absconded from the medical health center.
The body of a 21-year-old woman killed with a butcher’s knife by alleged attacker Mert Ney was discovered inside a residential unit.
The other victim, a 41-year-old woman, remains in a stable condition and is undergoing treatment after she was stabbed in the back near Hotel CBD on Clarence Street during the rampage.
The two victims and the alleged attacker were unrelated.
During the investigation, police found that the alleged knifeman was carrying a thumb drive that contained information related to terrorism ideology.
The Information found on the drive included the recent deadly mosque attack in New Zealand and white supremacist shootings in the U.S.
Ney was captured on video running through the CBD streets, shouting “Allahu akbar”.
He was seen jumping onto a Mercedes, before the vehicle turned, forcing him off.
He was chased by members of the public who managed to apprehend him by pinning the alleged knifeman down with two cafe chairs and a milk crate, holding him there until emergency services arrived.
The courageous men who pinned down the attacker are being hailed as the highest-order heroes by the police and public.
This Attack is currently not classified as a terrorist incident and the suspect is expected to be presented in court after he undergoes medical examinations.
By-Roshan Bint Raheem