OK I missed that bit, so now we know. He is a French Muslim.
But the rest of what the police say kind of rules out this being any sort of religious crime eh?
The police officer leading the investigation, Superintendent Ray Rohweder, told reporters on Thursday the CCTV footage of the scene was “absolutely horrific”.
“I’ve viewed the CCTV of what actually occurred. There’s no one that can view that CCTV that doesn’t come away feeling sick to the stomach,” he said.
There remains little clue as to why Ayad, 29, a trained kickboxer, allegedly snapped so violently on Tuesday night.
After rousing Ms Ayliffe-Chung from her sleep, police claim he dragged her onto a balcony, where he repeatedly stabbed her.
A fellow Brit, Tom Jackson, 30, sought to shield her in a bathroom, but Ayad allegedly turned on him too, stabbing him more than 20 times, including in the eye, head and torso. He is still fighting for life in hospital.
Hostel caretaker Grant Schultz, 46, suffered a stab wound to the leg while attempting to go to Ms Ayliffe-Chung’s aid, and horrified backpackers, 30 of whom were witnesses to some part of the attack, watched as the Frenchman allegedly chased and then slaughtered a pet German Shepherd that belonged to the hotel owners.
Police said it appeared he had developed a romantic infatuation for Ms Ayliffe-Chung in the short time he had known her but the feelings were not reciprocated.
Witnesses reported he had smoked cannabis on the night of the alleged stabbing frenzy, Supt Rohweder said, though drug testing to determine if he had consumed any other illicit drugs was still yet to be concluded.
Despite the repeated cries of the phrase “Allahu Akbar”, Supt Rohweder said there was no evidence to point to the young French Muslim having been radicalised.
Though Ms Gorizia told the Townsville Bulletin Ayad had been quiet and polite in the time he had worked for her, he has, according to police, been anything but while in custody.
Police prevented him from appearing in court in Townsville on Friday to face a raft of charges, including Ms Ayliffe-Chung’s murder, due to concerns for public safety.
They claim he has been continually aggressive in the three days he has been in custody, assaulting 12 police officers, and even allegedly biting one of them.
Police have been reportedly forced to use capsicum spray and a taser in an unsuccessful attempt to restrain him.
Dave R.
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