In an alarming incident that has drawn international attention, a 16-year-old boy was shot dead by police in Perth, Australia, after allegedly stabbing a man in what officials describe as bearing the “hallmarks of terrorism”.
Incident Triggers Security Concerns
The teenager, believed to have been radicalised online, was armed with a kitchen knife during the attack, according to Western Australia province’s Premier Roger Cook. The victim, a man in his 30s, was stabbed in the back on Saturday night in the parking lot of a hardware store in the city’s suburban Willetton area. The man, who is currently stable in a hospital, was attacked despite warnings to the authorities about the boy from concerned members of the local Muslim community.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who was briefed on the incident by police and intelligence agencies, asserted that there was no ongoing threat. He emphasized Australia’s peaceful nature, stating, “We are a peace-loving nation and there is no place for violent extremism in Australia.”
Local Community’s Role
Members of the local Muslim community had previously made complaints about the boy’s behaviour, which helped the police quickly identify him after the attack. On the night of the incident, the teenager reportedly called the police, announcing his intent to commit “acts of violence”. The police were later alerted to the actual knife attack through a call from a bystander.
Three police officers responded to the situation – one armed with a gun and two with tasers. Unfortunately, the tasers failed to subdue the boy before he was killed by a single gunshot.
Public Response and Recent Violence
Syed Wadood Janud, the imam of Perth’s largest mosque, the Nasir Mosque, condemned the stabbing in a statement. He asserted, “There is no place for violence in Islam,” commending the local Muslim community for flagging the individual to the police.
This incident is the latest in a string of knife attacks in Australia. Just last month, several boys were charged with terrorism-related offences in New South Wales following the stabbing of an Assyrian Christian bishop during a livestreamed sermon in Sydney. The assault on the bishop occurred only days after a stabbing spree in the Sydney beachside suburb of Bondi that resulted in six deaths.
Despite these recent events, gun and knife crime remain rare in Australia, a country renowned for its safety. However, these incidents have raised questions about the effectiveness of Australia’s counter-terrorism efforts, particularly in tackling online radicalisation. The Australian government, in response, has assured its commitment to maintaining peace and security, vowing to enhance measures to prevent such unfortunate incidents in the future.
