Man ‘planned to kill Jewish university students’
A CONVICTED terrorist who stabbed a man in Sydney's south-west had plans to kill Jewish students at the University of Sydney as a "revenge" attack, a court has heard.
A CONVICTED terrorist who stabbed a man in Sydney’s south-west had plans to kill Jewish students at the University of Sydney as a “revenge” attack, a court has heard.
Taking to the witness box, Ihsas Khan told a sentencing hearing he had bought the knife used in the 2016 attack to target students wearing kippahs.
“I was planning on using it on Jewish students in the university to kill them. Just people wearing the Jewish head gear, the kippah,” he said.
“I was filled with hatred … It was revenge for what was happening in Palestine.”
Khan was found guilty of carrying out an act of terror over the stabbing attack on his neighbour, grandfather Wayne Greenhalgh. He is facing life in jail.
Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-CEO Alex Ryvchin told The AJN this “deeply shocking” story is a reminder that the “threat to our community, both from organised groups of extremists and from lone actors, is very real”.
“It shows us why communal security is of paramount importance, not only in preventing and responding to attacks, but in providing training to members of our community and teaching vigilance and self-defence,” Ryvchin said.
“It also demonstrates how public information serves to incite hatred and potentially lethal violence. When certain public figures and media outlets vilify Israelis, trade in slander and false accusations, relentlessly demonise the state and its citizens and soldiers, it can result in direct harm to our community.”
He added, “This is why we are so determined to combat demonisation of Israel.”
Anti-Defamation Commission chairman Dvir Abramovich said “every Australian would be shocked to the core to learn of this evil plot”.
“We are grateful to law enforcement for their incredible work and look forward to seeing justice served,” Abramovich said.
Khan will be sentenced next month.
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