A BRITISH BACKPACKER, who was stabbed in an attack at an Australian hostel in which a fellow Briton was killed, has died of his injuries.
Tom Jackson, 30, had sustained critical head injuries in the attack last week. Jackson was hailed as a hero by police after coming to the aid of fellow backpacker Mia Ayliffe-Chung, who was also targeted.
A French national allegedly stabbed Jackson, Ayliffe-Chung, and an Australia man in the Australian backpacker’s hostel in Townsville, north Queensland.
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Ayliffe-Chung, 21, died from multiple stab wounds, while a 46-year-old Australian man suffered non-life threatening wounds.
Police called Jackson a hero, saying his actions to try and shield Ayliffe-Chung from the attack were “completely selfless”. He suffered from more than 20 stab wounds to the face.
His father, Les Jackson, flew from Britain to be at his son’s hospital bedside and said he was “immensely proud” of Tom.
Attack
Frenchman Smail Ayad has been charged with the murder of Ayliffe-Chung and Jackson and is also facing one count of attempted murder regarding the Australian man.
Police allege Ayad said, “Allahu Akbar” (God is great) during the attack and again when arrested, but have also added that there were no signs of radicalisation.
His specific motivations for the attack are still unknown.
The Australian government has been increasingly concerned about extremism and in particular about home-grown radicalisation, keeping the terror threat alert level at high since September 2014.
Additional reporting by Elizabeth O’Malley.
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