Sydney attack: Man 'inspired by Islamic State' charged over random stab assault

Jamie Bullen12 September 2016

A 22-year-old allegedly inspired by Islamic State has been charged with a terrorist act after he repeatedly stabbed a man in a random attack in Sydney.

Police said Wayne Greenhalgh, 59, is fighting for his life after he was stabbed several times while walking through a park in western Sydney on Saturday.

The suspect, named as Ihsas Khan, also attempted to stab a police officer before he was arrested. He was charged with attempted murder and committing a terrorist act on Sunday.

He was refused bail in the Parramatta Bail Court and his case was adjourned until Wednesday. He did not enter pleas.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull made reference the attack took place on the eve of the 15th anniversary of the al-Qaida attacks on the United States.

"Connecting them both is a violent Islamist ideology," Turnbull told reporters.

New South Wales Deputy Police Commissioner Catherine Burn described the attack as planned and deliberate.

She said Khan and Mr Greenhalgh did not know each other.

"This was clearly a very volatile, a very violent situation that police and the members of the community were confronted with," Burn told reporters.

Khan shouted words at the scene, which led police to believe he was inspired by the Islamic State group, Burn said.

"We know that this person has strong religious beliefs inspired by ISIS. What made him act yesterday we don't know," she added.

The victim's wife, Bronwyn Greenhalgh, said her husband had a punctured lung and had lost several fingers.

Federal Attorney General George Brandis said bystanders had put their own lives at risk by intervening in the attack.

"It may very well be but for the bravery of those citizens to intervene, the victim's life would have been lost," Brandis told reporters.

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