Islamic school in Sydney's south-west targeted by man wielding knife
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Version 0 of 1. An Islamic school in Sydney’s south-west was targeted by a man wielding a knife. Police were searching for the man who reportedly entered Al-Faisal college in Minto just after 2pm on Thursday, asked if it was a “Muslim school” and threatened a female teacher and student with a knife. Primary school students hid under their desks while those from the high school were gathered in a prayer hall as the school went into lockdown, one mother said. The mother, who did not wish to be named, said she was greeted by a swarm of police when arriving to pick up her children. “I am still pretty much in shock,” the mother said. “I am keeping my younger two [children] home tomorrow. One doesn’t want to go back there.” Although most schools are on holidays, classes there finish on Friday and students get an extra week’s holidays later in the year, she said. Mariam Veiszadeh, spokesperson for Islamophobia Register Australia, said parents were left distressed. “[They] arrived at the school earlier today and found it surrounded by police officers and the Swat team,” Veiszadeh said. Police said the man was last seen in Kitson road, Minto. Officers searched the area but could not find the man, described as being a ‘20 to 25-year-old with an obese build’, of Pacific Islander appearance. He was wearing brown khaki pants and a green shirt. |