ISIS student from same university as some of the Dhaka attackers

The student ­accused of stabbing a man attended the same uni as four men linked to Bangladesh’s worst act of terror.

Momena Shoma studied at North South University.

The international student ­accused of stabbing a man in an alleged terrorist attack in ­suburban Melbourne attended the same university as four men linked to Bangladesh’s worst act of terrorism.

Momena Shoma, 24, attended a top English-language school in Dhaka — the Mastermind School — and then studied for a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in English, at the private North South University until last year.

Bangladeshi authorities 18 months ago revealed students and former attendees of North South University were among a group of Islamic State-linked extremists killed during and after an attack on a restaurant that left 29 dead. The Australian does not allege that Ms Shoma knew or is linked to any of those people.

After announcing she had been charged with one count of engaging in a terrorist act, police on Saturday said it would be ­alleged that she had become “self-radicalised”.

Family have expressed shock over the allegations, saying Ms Shoma had never shown signs of any radicalised behaviour and referring to her upper-middle class upbringing.

On Friday, Ms Shoma allegedly stabbed Roger Singaravelu in the neck while he was sleeping next to his five-year-old daughter in his Mill Park home in Melbourne’s northeast. Police allege it was an ISIS-inspired attack.

Mr Singaravelu underwent surgery at the Royal Melbourne Hospital and was in a stable condition.

Mr Singaravelu had begun hosting Ms Shoma at his home the day before, after she arrived in Australia on a student visa on February 1. She was to begin studying linguistics at La Trobe University on a partial scholarship. Her father and uncle are reportedly planning to travel to Australia to be with her.

In Bangladesh, documents detailing interview times for applicants for financial aid show Ms Shoma was a student at North South University as recently as March last year, and had enrolled in 2014. It was during her studies there that the university made international headlines.

In July 2016, an attack by ISISbacked gunmen on the Holey Artisan Bakery, popular with Westerners, killed 22 civilians, two police officers and all five attackers — including a former North South University student who went on to study at Monash University’s Malaysian campus.

In the following weeks, another four students from North South University were reportedly among a group of extremists killed in gunfights with police, after being identified as having links to the cell that attacked the restaurant. Among them was Taj-Ul-Haque Rashik, who also attended the Mastermind School.

Earlier this month, Ms Shoma had stayed for several days in a modest suburban family home in Bundoora, not far from Mill Park.

The woman at the Bundoora home told The Australian she was “more than surprised” when they heard the 24-year-old had allegedly stabbed someone, but said she was still distressed and did not want to elaborate.

The woman’s husband said yesterday the 24-year-old wore a hijab when she came to stay.

It is unclear why the girl moved from one homestay residence to another after just a week in Bundoora.

Australian Homestay Network chief executive Julie Manche said: “It’s not unusual to move a student to find a more suitable host family at the request of the host or the student, but we can’t comment on a particular case.”