Tributes are beginning to flow for the 21-year-old British backpacker stabbed to death in northern Queensland on Tuesday night, as police investigate whether the alleged killer has any ties to extremism.
The 29-year-old French man allegedly shouted 'Allahu Akbar' as he stabbed Mia Ayliffe-Chung to death and seriously injured another, a 30-year-old British man. The suspect is in police custody but has not been charged.
Federal police have been brought in to investigate whether the man has any ties to extremism, according to Fairfax Media.
Mia Ayliffe-Chung was killed at around 11pm last night at a Shelley's Backpackers hostel in front of a room of around 30 people in Home Hill, a country town about 75 kilometres from Townsville in northern Queensland.
Ayliffe-Chung, who nicknamed herself 'Mimi', had been in Australia for about a year on a working visa.
The young Brit had previously been working in a nightclub on the Gold Coast and last Wednesday 17 August, she began doing farm work, following the sugarcane harvest trail.
Queensland Police Service Deputy Commissioner Steve Gollschewski said nothing will be ruled out by investigators.
"Comments which may be construed as being of an extremist nature were made by the alleged offender," Gollschewski said.
"It is alleged the suspect used the phrase 'Allahu Akbar' during the attack and when arrested by police.
"While this information will be factored into this investigation, we are not ruling out any motivations at this early stage, whether they be political or criminal.
Police are not ruling out whether mental health or drug misuse factors were involved. They are not searching for anyone else and say that there is no threat to the public.