Hume’s Islamic Turkish community is struggling to come to grips with a random attack on worshippers at its Dallas mosque last Thursday. The attack left one elderly man dead, another man fighting for his life and a third recovering from stab wounds.
While the media scrambled to ascertain whether there were religious tensions behind the attack, there have been no such incidents of violence at mosques in Melbourne before.
More than 40 people, mainly older people and women, were attending classes and worship at the mosque about 11am when the attack took place.
Broadmeadows man Erol Elmas, 22, fronted Melbourne Magistrates Court last Friday, sporting wounds allegedly sustained during his arrest at the Turkish Islamic and Cultural Centre in Dallas the day before.
Victoria Legal Aid defence lawyer Sarah Pratt told the court her client had been diagnosed with mental health issues. She said he had been diagnosed some years ago with schizophrenia and drug-induced psychosis, for which he had been prescribed medication.
Elmas was charged with murdering Omer Ali Aysel, 68, of Glenroy. The two others injured are from Mickleham and Craigieburn.
The case will return to the courts for a committal mention on March 12.
Magistrate Charlie Rozencwajg said any psychiatric matters should be dealt with first, to which Ms Pratt said they would be “addressed at the first instance”.
