A man who stabbed three people after his pickup truck burst into flames in a Melbourne street was known to authorities for his radical views but was not considered a threat, Australian police said.
Hassan Khalid Shire Ali, 30, had his passport canceled in 2015 when authorities found he had plans to travel to Syria. He was known to the Victorian Joint Counter Terrorism Team but was not being monitored, Australian Federal Police Commissioner Ian McCarney told reporters Saturday.
ISIS had claimed responsibility for the knife attack through its media wing Amaq, the SITE Intelligence Group reported. CNN cannot independently verify the claim and no evidence to support it was provided through Amaq.
On Saturday, McCarney said Shire Ali was only inspired by the group and did not appear to be direct links.
“The event yesterday for us is a reality check. Even with the fall of the caliphate in the conflict zone, the threat continues to be real,” McCarney said. Read more
