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LAST UPDATE | 9 Nov 2018
POLICE SAID A Somali immigrant killed one person and wounded two others in a rush-hour stabbing spree in the heart of Australia’s second city today, labelling it a terrorist attack.
The unnamed man drove a 4X4 truck loaded with gas bottles into the bustling city centre of Melbourne, ignited the vehicle in a ball of flames and then attacked passers-by with a knife, police said.
He stabbed three people before being confronted by armed officers who eventually shot him in the chest. One victim died at the scene and the attacker died later in hospital.
Counter-terrorism police and intelligence officers are still piecing together how the incident occurred, but said the attacker was known to intelligence services.
Islamic State – which often claims responsibility for such attacks – said via its propaganda arm that the perpetrator was an “Islamic State fighter and carried out the operation.”
Witness footage showed police struggling for at least a minute to corral the towering man – who was wearing a dark tunic – as he lunged, slashed and stabbed wildly at two officers.
At least two members of the public bravely stepped in to help police. One man was armed with a cafe chair while another – swiftly dubbed an “Aussie hero” on social media – repeatedly tried to ram the suspect with an empty metal shopping cart.
But the attacks continued unabated, before one officer opted for lethal force, shooting the suspect in the chest.
The police officers are being treated for cuts and scrapes and are not thought to be in a serious condition.
“We are now treating this as a terrorism event,” said local police Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton, who said the suspect was “someone that is known” to police through family connections.
The unnamed assailant was said to reside in Melbourne’s northwestern suburbs, but had come to Australia from Somalia in or around the 1990s, when the country was ravaged by a civil war.
Double blow for city
Ashton refused to give more details due to the ongoing investigation, but the authorities will face inevitable questions about how someone known to the intelligence services nonetheless managed to carry out an attack.
The counter-terrorism command has taken a lead role in the investigation and police have set up a three-block-wide exclusion zone.
Officers said they “are not looking for anyone further at this early stage” and there was no immediate evidence of an ongoing threat related to the attack.
Forensic investigators combed through the scene late Friday, where the dead victim’s body lay covered in a white plastic sheet.
Melbourne is Australia’s second largest city, a cosmopolitan metropolis of almost five million people famed for its cafes, bars, restaurants and high standard of living.
Friday’s attack is a double blow for the city as it coincides with an ongoing murder trial of 28-year-old James Gargasoulas, accused of ploughing his car into crowds in the same area in 2017, killing six people.
But the situation away from the immediate crime scene quickly returned to normal, with Melbournians enjoying a spring evening meal or a drink with friends.
State Premier Daniel Andrews described the attack as “evil” but said the city would not be bowed.
Government sources say Australia has been the target of around a dozen terror plots in recent years. Few have been successful, sophisticated or caused mass casualties, but this latest attack is sure to fuel the already heated debate over migration.
- © AFP 2018,
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The protections offered by our institutions to the citizen really seem to be viewed as little more than an inconvenience by FG and their supporters
FFG can not be trusted that’s the bottom line here they need to be put out of government once and for all..
@Robert Phelan: People laughing at Borris Jonston saying the judges got it wrong and he was right. Here in Irrland, an independent body set up to ensure citizens information is protected, find the government are breaking the law and our government refuse to acc ere put the findings. FF, FG and BOJO are all of the same ilk. How soundly built are their ivory towers. No one is above the law.
@DaMoons: a short non exhaustive list of people who do seem to be above the law as i understand it.
Maria
Alan
Dennis
Michael
Regina
@DaMoons: when a government can’t admit when it’s wrong that’s very dangerous indeed.. Ireland is badly in need of change..
Should sacked Regina Doherty for waste money taxpayer €59M
@Brian Flavin: she is a waste of space.
@Brian Flavin: if somebody knowingly pushes something illegal they should be jailed
@Gus Sheridan: yeah true
She’s a neck like a jockies… that wan
This woman has some arrogance about her,between this mess up and sneakily extending in jobspath for another 12 months,shame on her
Doherty’s contempt for the public is disgusting.
@@mdmak33: Doherty’s contempt for the taxpayer is even more disgusting.
1)So it was clearly stated that the Government ‘s legal advice which is it disputes DPC Report Findings came from outside not the AG!
2)Was the AG advice in agreement with DPC Report Findings?On what legal advice did other Departments act by saying that people no longer NEEDED to produce a PSC?
Couldn’t believe what I heard in the Dail, shocking response to that such an important DPC Report about matters affecting processing, retention etc of the public’s personal data!
3)Where is the extensive business case regarding all aspects of the PSC including extending it to other Departments and 120 State bodies.
4)The Data Controller re PSC changed from DG of DEASP to Department itself during the 2 years of PSC investigation.
How can the Data Controller in the Department over the PSC have oversight of personal data that is transferred to other Departments including State bodies including its processing and retention and under what legal basis?
5) DPC, Digital rights Ireland and Data Compliance Europe have the expertise re all aspects of Data Protection Laws and very serious indeed to have these Findings and concerns dismissed outrageously!
Could you run a competition to see if anyone can find a photo of her not sneering? There could be a small prize.
Regina is the Latin name for Queen maybe that is were she gets her confidence from.
She has to exhaust the process to reach the final answer, otherwise the issue is just parked until the next time. That said, Willie O’Dea was a brilliant barrister before he went into politics full time, he wouldn’t be disputing this unless he had thought if fully through.
So this government do not know what each department is doing. Ie , transport and social..
Typical answer as to why FFG continue to stagger from one expensive disaster to another and care less for using tax payers money for protecting their fat posteriors …
If there is any justice she’ll loose the seat next time out
I listened to some of this “debate” in the Dail today. I was shocked at the performance of so called opposition deputies in calling this government, this minister to account. They let her away with the illegality she and FG are engaged in. No wonder FG get away with what they are doing to the country. Not one I heard could put this minister on the spot. All danced around the issue. I’ve seen better comments from all sides here on the issue than I heard in the Dail today.
Do t forget your 3 million customers as you say regina,calling citizens of this country customers that are in need is disgraceful,pity you didn’t care about your staff from your own company you bankrupted,are they customers now to you.
Surprised from an Arrogant Minister
Lock her up
https://no2psc.digitalrights.ie
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Can we please find out if the mu isters and TDs have a psc or is it onlt applicable to the minions.. After all I’m sure some of them had to renew driving licence or passport at some stage so if its good for the goose it’s good for the gander
As for this dispicable women it would answer her better to pay back her debts and pay her employees prsi so they can claim with their psc
16 weeks of a wait if your unlucky enough to have a child with a disability to get carers .She should be sacked on the spot
16 weeks of a wait if your unlucky enough to have a child with a disability to get carers .She should resign on the spot
OMG.. .she needs to get over herself …climate change need urgent attention…do your job
Regina. Accept the decision. U were wrong. U knew this from the get go now u want to waste more money on bullying people.
Horrible woman
If the governments legal advice is different to the DPC’s advice then instead of fighting through the courts the legislation should be changed ti remove the ambiguity. That doesn’t cost anything. And if they can’t get the votes to change it they should take the conservative approach and follow the DPC’s position.
It’s astonishing how any decent and moral person could actually vote for FG or any of the parties really. White Collar Gangsters.
Arrogant cow
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