On 23 August 2016, Smail Ayad, a 29-year-old French national, carried out 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. It was alleged that 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 victim Mia Ayliffe-Chung. Police have indicated Ayad had used cannabison the night of the attack. Ayad also sang the French national anthem during the attack. On 25 August 2016, Ayad was charged with the crimes of murder, attempted murder, serious animal cruelty and serious assault. On 27 October 2016, Ayad's trial was adjourned to Mental Health Court, as a result of determining a preliminary diagnosis of schizophrenia. This diagnosis was confirmed by the Mental Health Court on 5 April 2018 resulting in the criminal charges being dropped and an order was made to detain him in The Park Centre for Mental Health in Brisbane for treatment.
Attack
Ayad attacked Mia Ayliffe-Chung, his roommate as she lay in her bunk. Ayad then stabbed hostel caretaker Grant Schultz in the leg and chased the hostel's pet dog Atari around the yard stabbing the dog until it died. A second British backpacker, Tom Jackson, was also attacked when he tried to help the woman. He died several days later. Ayad continued to scream "Allahu akbar" as police officers worked to subdue him, injuring several officers. Jackson and another guest, Daniel Richards were subsequently awarded the Queen's Gallantry Medal for their efforts to aid Ayliffe-Chung.
Victims
Ayliffe-Chung died at the scene. Jackson suffered critical injuries in the attack and died five days later in hospital. Schultz suffered stab wounds to the leg. The dog Atari died at the scene.
Attacker
Smail Ayad, 29, is a French national. 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. Since his arrest, he has been transferred from Stuart prison to a secure mental health facility in Brisbane. Ayad was initially charged with Ayliffe-Chung's murder, the attempted murders of Jackson and Scultz, and a charge of animal cruelty. An additional 12 counts of assaulting police were laid a few days later arising from his attack on the police officers who subdued him. One of the attempted murder charge was upgraded to murder after Jackson died. On 5 April 2018, the Queensland Mental Health Court determined that Ayad was of unsound mind at the time of the killings. Four psychiatrists found he was suffering from paranoid schizophrenia and believed he was the target of an international conspiracy to kill him. The criminal charges were dropped against Ayad as it could not be proven he had an intent to kill. The court directed Ayad to be detained in The Park Centre for Mental Health for treatment.
Responses
The Islamic Council of Queensland criticised media reports for quickly linking use of this phrase with Islamic terrorism. On 25 August 2016, the authorities were confident the stabbings were not an act of terrorism. 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. The town was called "Hell Hill" even before the murder incident and one former resident warned others to "avoid it at all costs". Ayliffe-Chung's mother, Rosie Ayliffe, came to Australia for her daughter's funeral and began to investigate working conditions on Australian farms.
