Frenchman who killed Brit backpacker in Aus hostel knife horror ‘smoked cannabis hours earlier’
Smail Ayad is charged with stabbing Mia Ayliffe-Chung multiple times while shouting 'Allahu Akbar' in attack
THE obsessed knifeman who killed Brit backpacker Mia Ayliffe-Chung had been smoking cannabis hours earlier, police said yesterday.
Smail Ayad has been charged with murdering the 21-year-old at a hostel.
Police in Australia also revealed he had to be tasered and pepper sprayed after lashing out at officers and biting one on the leg.
Ayad, 29, from France, posted on Facebook before the attack, saying: “I’m a victim, I feel I’m going to die soon, whoever you are who like me please follow me, I love everyone.”
He stabbed Mia multiple times while shouting Allahu Akbar (God is great).
But police said so far there was no indication he had been radicalised.
They are probing his infatuation with Derbyshire student Mia, who arrived at Shelley’s Backpackers hostel in Home Hill, Queensland, days earlier.
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Supt Ray Rohweder said: “I don’t believe there was any romance. Certainly not from Mia’s point of view.
“We have indication he may have consumed cannabis but no evidence of anything harder or alcohol.”
They were still looking for a motive, he said.
Ayad also critically injured Brit Tom Jackson, 30, and killed a dog. He will appear in court today also charged with attempted murder, animal cruelty and 12 assaults.
Another Brit, Chris Porter, 22, of Rochester, Kent, tried to save Mia and was seen on crutches at the hostel yesterday. Brother Aaron said: “He was on the second storey and had to jump out the window.
The guy chased him down the road with the knife.”