Accused Islamic State stabber described himself as an “unskilled assassin”

An alleged Islamic State supporter who stabbed a man in his Sydney neighbourhood described himself as an “unskilled assassin”.

A clean shaven Ihsas Khan scribbled on a notepad during his police interview following a knife-attack at Minto, in Sydney’s south west.

Video of the 2016 interview was shown to a jury in the NSW Supreme Court today.

The 25-year-old was shirtless and had what appeared to be blood on his torso as he told the officer he wanted an “eye for an eye” retribution for the deaths of Muslims in Iraq and Syria.

The jury heard he targeted Sydney grandfather Wayne Greenhalgh as he was wearing a pro-American t-shirt and that his ultimate goal was to “kill and be killed”.

Khan then described himself as “a bit of an amateur, unskilled assassin”.

The 25-year-old has pleaded not guilty to committing a terrorist act and wounding with intent to murder over the attack.

Khan is not disputing he stabbed Mr Greenhalgh, but is fighting the charges on the grounds of mental illness.

Last week Mr Greenhalgh’s police interview was played to the jury.

Mr Greenhalgh said he’d been walking by Khan’s home on the afternoon of September 10 when the young man went inside and re-emerged with a backpack.

He pulled out a “sword-like machete” and came at Mr Greenhalgh, who was 57 at the time.

“He got me probably three or four times and I didn’t know what to do,” Mr Greenhalgh told police from his hospital bed.

“There was blood pouring out of everywhere.”

He told the court Khan said: “I’m going to f—ing kill you… Allah Allah.”

Mr Greenhalgh ran to a nearby hairdresser to escape, while his neighbours fended off Khan with a broom, fence pailing and a rock.

“Lucky they were there at that time, lucky,” he told the court today.

Mr Greenhalgh received injuries to his right arm, left hand, face and lung, and was off work for four months after the stabbing, the jury heard.

The trial continues.

Source: 9 News