Minto terror attack: Friends say accused Ihsas Khan lived deeply ‘isolated life’
A FORMER MP has described the moment he was spat on by accused Sydney terror attacker Ihsas Khan during a Muslim holiday at a school.
THE man who allegedly ambushed a 59-year-old grandfather in a suburban terror attack was not on a terror watch list, despite having spat on a federal politician during Eid celebrations last year.
Former Labor Werriwa MP Laurie Ferguson said he reported the incident allegedly involving terror-accused Ihsas Khan, 22, in July 2015, at Campbelltown’s Islamic Al-Faisal College to police as he believed it was premeditated.
Khan allegedly walked into the school’s mosque and spat on Mr Ferguson on stage before fleeing.
“What gave me particular concern was the seeming degree of premeditation, it was clearly (at) me,” said Mr Ferguson, now retired.
“There were a number of people on stage and it was directed at me. He left his shoes on, which of course you’re not supposed to do in a mosque.”
A police source confirmed the incident. It is understood that while the man was known to NSW police, state authorities did not believe his behaviour resembled a national security risk. Federal agencies are understood to have not been alerted to his behaviour.
Friends of the 22-year-old pharmacy university dropout said religious leaders had tried to reach out to him as his erratic behaviour escalated before Saturday’s alleged attack.
The grief of losing his mother in the past year deeply affected him and he refused to integrate with the Muslim community, choosing instead to live “an isolated life”.
Zzanan Syed, who attends the Suburban Islamic Centre in Minto, where Khan prayed, said “he was so depressed”.
Khan attended Hurlstone Agricultural High School. A staff member said: “He was always talking to himself.”
Originally published as Minto terror attack: Friends say accused Ihsas Khan lived deeply ‘isolated life’
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