Mill Park father Roger Singaravelu tried to help woman before the alleged terror attack

A FATHER has described the terrifying moment an ISIS-inspired woman in a burqa screamed “Allahu Akbar” as she plunged a knife into his neck while he slept at his home.

A FATHER has told of the terrifying moment a burqa-clad woman police say was inspired by ISIS screamed “Allahu Akbar” and allegedly plunged a knife into his neck as he slept.

Roger Singaravelu had agreed to host a Bangladeshi student, 24, at his Mill Park home when told she had nowhere else to go.

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But he said just two days later, on February 9, he was attacked in front of his daughter, aged just 5.

Roger Singaravelu, 56, was allegedly stabbed in his sleep 'by a burqa-clad ISIS-inspired student'. Picture: Tony Gough

Speaking of the ordeal for the first time, he said: “I felt a sharp pain in my neck and woke up to see (her) leaning over me with a kitchen knife in her hand. She was screaming ‘Allahu Akbar’ while stabbing me in the neck.

“I reactively grabbed on to the knife and fought (her) off. My daughter was screaming nearby, and I told her to run and hide.

“There was blood everywhere. I ran outside with my daughter and got the attention of neighbours, who assisted me.”

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The Herald Sun can reveal Mr Singaravelu, 56, is now taking legal action against the Australian Homestay Network, which organised the student’s placement.

“This incident has had devastating effects on our family and dampened our trust,” Mr Singaravelu said.

“Our daughter is traumatised. She continues to experience nightmares and flashbacks, and requires psychological treatment.

Roger Singaravelu, 56, with his wife Maha and daughter Shayla, 5, Picture: Tony Gough

“She still sees blood on the wall and asks me to clean it off, although there is nothing there.”

Mr Singaravelu suffered a crushed vertebra and deep cuts to his fingers in the attack.

The family say they opened their home after the AHN contacted them urgently on the morning of February 7 to say the Bangladeshi student had nowhere else to stay.

Mr Singaravelu’s wife, Maha, said: “I felt for her, being in a foreign country. I put myself in her shoes and her parents’ shoes ... I agreed to host her for a short time.

“Before the incident, she stayed with us for a couple of days. She was very pleasant to deal with. She even offered to babysit our daughter if we ever went out.”

Momena Shoma has been charged by the Victorian Joint Counter-Terrorism Team, made up of officers from the Australian Federal Police, Victoria Police and ASIO, with one count of engaging in a terrorist act, which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison.

Days after the stabbing, Ms Shoma’s younger sister was ­arrested for stabbing a police officer in Bangladesh.

Momena Shoma

She is understood to have told Bangladesh police the siblings were members of an ­ISIS-inspired terror group called “Neo-JMB”.

Lawyer Aki Munir, of Arnold Thomas & Becker, acting for the family, said: “We are instructed that Shoma was initially placed with a family in Bundoora.

“The basis for removing her from one host family to another in urgent circumstances is unclear. This should have been a red flag and investigated by AHN prior to placing her with another family.

“AHN have failed in their duty of care to the family by not adequately and appropriately investigating Shoma’s background. We will be launching legal action on ­behalf of the family.

“We will also be investigating any failings of the federal government and security agencies in granting the student visa application.”

Erin Webb, on behalf of AHN, said: “AHN has no comment other than to say we have been assisting police regarding the matter, which is currently part of an open investigation.”

Ms Shoma is next due to appear before Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on May 2.

@davidhurleyHS