Briton dies after brutal attack in Australia

A British backpacker who was brutally attacked while trying to save the life of another traveller at a hostel in Australia's Queensland state died on Tuesday.

The Queensland police confirmed that 30-year-old Tom Jackson, who tried aiding another British national Mia Ayliffe-Chung, succumbed to his injuries and died at a Townsville Hospital, a week after the attack, Xinhua news agency reported.

The 29-year-old attacker Frenchman Smail Ayad will be charged with two counts murder for Ayliffe-Chung and Jackson, one attempted murder charge on an unnamed man, 12 counts of assault against police officers and one count of animal cruelty for killing a dog.

Ayliffe-Chung, a 21-year-old backpacker who was killed on August 24, had captured media attention after it was alleged that her murderer Ayad had uttered the words "Allahu Akbar" while stabbing.

However, Australian authorities were refusing to rule out terror motivations and were investigating the possibility that Ayad became obsessed with the young British backpacker instead.

Investigations are still going on, with Ayad expected to have his next court appearance in Townsville on October 28.

--IANS

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