Sydney jury convicts machete-wielding man of terrorist act

A pharmacy student who repeatedly stabbed a passer-by with a machete while shouting "I will kill you, you will die" was convicted in a Sydney court on Thursday of carrying out a terrorist act.

Ihsas Khan, 25, had pleaded not guilty in the New South Wales state Supreme Court on the grounds of mental illness when he attacked Wayne Greenhalgh in the Sydney suburb of Minto in 2016.

Khan was found guilty on Thursday during his sixth trial by a jury which rejected his mental illness defense.

Four previous trials were aborted and the fifth jury could not reach a verdict.

Justice Geoffrey Bellew is to hear sentencing submissions on May 23. Khan faces a possible maximum sentence of life in prison.

Greenhalgh received injuries to his right arm, left hand, face and lungs. He was forced to take four months off work. After he was attacked, Greenhalgh fled to a nearby hair salon for safety while bystanders confronted Khan, who was later tasered by police.

"He got me probably three or four times and I didn't know what to do," Greenhalgh later told police from his hospital bed.

"There was blood pouring out of everywhere." From the dock during one of the trials, Khan told Greenhalgh: "I'm so sorry for what I did to you. You are not the guy I thought you were."
A neighbour testified that Khan described Greenhalgh's blood as "beautiful." The neighbour also testified that Khan said "These people tried to kill my brothers and sisters in Iraq" and "Kill me, I'm here to die."