Sydney - A French national has been detained by police after a British woman was killed and two others were injured in a stabbing attack at a backpackers hostel in northern Australia, police said on Wednesday.
The incident took place late on Tuesday night at Shelley's Backpackers in Townsville, Queensland Deputy Police Commissioner Steve Gollschewski told a press conference, adding that more than 30 people had witnessed the knife attack.
The attacker had allegedly yelled "Allahu Akbar," during the attack and again while being arrested, Gollschewski said.
A 21-year-old British woman died at the scene, while a 30-year-old British man was taken to hospital in a critical condition.
A third person who received stab wounds to the leg has since been released from hospital.
The 29-year-old attacker had been in Australia on a temporary visa since March, and is now being treated in hospital under police custody for injuries to his arms, Gollschewski said.
He said a homicide investigation was ongoing and "if there is any extremist slant, or radicalisation, is something we will be looking into."
DPA