Minto terror attack: Islamic radical Ihsas Khan had a plan to ‘kill an Aussie’, police will allege
THE wife of a man critically injured in a terror attack at Minto yesterday said the grandfather and cabinet-maker may never work again after losing several of his fingers in the vicious assault.
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THE wife of a man critically injured in a terror attack at Minto yesterday said the grandfather and carpenter may never work again after losing several of his fingers in the vicious assault.
Ihsas Khan, 22, was yesterday charged with committing a terrorist act and attempted murder after allegedly stabbing Wayne Greenhalgh, 59, as he walked his dog along Ohlfsen Road, Minto, on Saturday afternoon.
Police believe Khan, who was renowned for his “odd’’ behaviour — including his fiery street preaching where, clad in white robes, he yelled Koranic verses at his neighbours — was inspired by Islamic State and stabbed Wayne because he thought the man embodied Australian culture.
Khan allegedly repeatedly struck Mr Greenhalgh to the abdomen, chest and neck.
It is thought Mr Greenhalgh lost several fingers as he tried to fight off his attacker.
He this morning remains in Liverpool Hospital in a stable condition after undergoing eight hours of emergency surgery.
Mr Greenhalgh’s wife Bronwyn said alleged terrorist Ihsas Khan approached her and her husband the day before the attack. “He just walked towards us and we thought he was going to ask us something.’’
Mrs Greenhalgh said Khan, who turned away before speaking to them, was carrying an Arabic book. “I said to Wayne, ‘That was strange, things like that could be a lone wolf attack’.’’
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Mrs Greenhalgh said due to his injuries her husband, a cabinet-maker, may never be able to work again.
“He has a punctured lung and he has bad injuries to his hands,’’ she said.
Mrs Greenhalgh said her husband had described the moments before the attack: “He just said he came towards him and got a machete out of his backpack and started at Wayne.”
Yesterday, the blood trail that led from where Mr Greenhalgh was stabbed into a nearby salon where he pleaded for help left a haunting reminder of the terror that just the day before fell on the quiet suburban neighbourhood.
Khan’s behaviour had become increasingly “erratic” in the days before the attack and neighbours would often see him pacing up and down the road in his robes preaching verses from the Koran.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said yesterday there were no plans to increase the terror threat level following the attack.
“I said to Wayne, ‘That was strange, things like that could be a lone wolf attack” - Victim Wayne Greenhalgh’s wife Bronwyn
“The nature of terrorism is changing and evolving and we have to evolve as well,” he said.
NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Cath Burn said Khan “may well have” committed the act to lure police in order to attack them.
She said it was planned and Khan was shouting words at the scene that led bystanders to believe he was committing a terror attack.
“We will be alleging this was an act inspired by ISIS,” she said.
“It was a deliberate act yesterday, it resulted in a person receiving extremely serious injuries.
“We know that this person has strong extremist beliefs inspired by ISIS ... but what made him act yesterday we don’t know.
“It was deliberate, it was violent, his behaviour could have turned worse as well.”
It is not believed Khan has any links to known radicals or persons of interest but shocked neighbours still expressed their concerns.
“I’m a bit scared now, there was a lot of cars that used to come and go at all hours. Who knows who else is out there,” one resident, who asked not to be named, said.
Ms Burn said that although Khan did not know Mr Greenhalgh, he did “form a view of him” for some reason.
“From what we know these two people aren’t known to each other,” she said. But for whatever reason, the 22-year-old has formed some view about the victim. This has resulted in this particular person being the subject of the attack.”
Police sources said they believed Khan chose Mr Greenhalgh because he embodied Australia’s way of life.
Police seized a large knife at the scene and it is understood extremist material was allegedly found in Khan’s house. Counter-terrorism detectives last night remained at the scene.
Khan did not seek and was formally refused bail at Parramatta Bail Court yesterday. He will face Central Court on Wednesday.
NEIGHBOURS HEARD SUSPECT SHOUT FROM KORAN
Jessica Rapana and Laura Banks
DRESSED in a flowing white robe, Ihsas Khan would pace up and down his quiet suburban street, shouting verses from the Koran.
He would stop only to press his case across a front lawn, through picket fences, demanding his neighbours stop and listen to his words.
Often the 22-year-old’s fiery rants would ring out in the dark of night, a routine only surpassed in its oddity by his inventive street training — head down, legs pumping, pushing a car axle with two wheels attached up Minto’s Ohlfsen Road, and back again.
Neighbours were amused. For a while. But since his mother died from a long illness two weeks ago, they say his behaviour became more erratic with more force in his evangelism.
On Saturday morning, Khan stood in the front yard of his home, fist clenched and “on guard”. Police will allege that just after 4pm he launched a “frenzied attack” on Wayne Greenhalgh, screaming “someone is going to die today” as he stabbed the 59-year-old in the abdomen, chest and neck.
“He was always screaming out Arabic as people walked past,” a neighbour, who did not want to be named, said. “I’m a bit scared now, there was a lot of cars that used to come and go at all hours, who knows who else is out there.”
Khan came to the attention of Vietnam veteran Les King, 71, when he noticed a number of Australian flags had gone missing from his front fence.
“It would consistently happen and I thought it was the kids from the school but one day I came out and saw him,” Mr King said. “I was very angry, it pissed me off.”
Another neighbour said Khan was becoming more forceful in his street preaching. “He would ask you questions about your religion. Anyone he knows, he talks about the Koran.’’
It is understood Khan has links with the Al-Faisal College in Minto
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