A Frenchman who allegedly stabbed to death a British backpacker in a Queensland hostel may have been driven by infatuation, it has been reported.
Smail Ayad has been named as the 29-year-old who allegedly shouted "allahu akbar" as he killed British tourist Mia Ayliffe-Chung, 21, and stabbed two other men in a frenzied attack near Townsville on Tuesday night.
The Courier-Mail reports Ayad had recently become Facebook friends with Ms Ayliffe-Chung and police are investigating whether a romantic obsession may have sparked his attack.
British man Tom Jackson, 30, continues to fight for life in hospital after being stabbed up to 15 times whilst trying to save Ms Ayliffe-Chung. A third person, believed to be the hostel's owner, was also injured.
Ms Ayliffe-Chung had ventured to Shelley's Backpackers in Home Hill as part of her working holiday around Australia.
She is believed to have been working on a farm nearby in order to extend her visa, having previously worked at a Surfers Paradise nightclub on the Gold Coast.
Friends have paid tribute online to "a girl like no other".
"You oozed life, and you were always the life and soul of a party," Sam Gostelow, who was about to travel north with Ms Ayliffe-Chung, posted on Facebook.
Another friend, Kyle Godwin, said the world had lost "one of the most beautiful young women to ever walk this planet".
"A girl like no other, one of the happiest, full of energy, delightful, energetic and hilarious girl(s) I've come across," he wrote.
Despite the words spoken during the attack, Queensland Police Service Deputy Commissioner Steve Gollschewski said there was no indication it was actually terror related.
"While this information will be factored into the investigation, we are not ruling out any motivations at this stage, whether they be political or criminal," he said.
"Investigators will also consider whether mental health or drug misuse factors are involved in this incident."
Mr Gollschewski said the man didn't have any known links to the Islamic State group.
"This person appears to have acted alone," he said.
"He is a visitor to Australia and has no known local connections. However, investigations are ongoing."
Mr Gollschewski said police weren't looking for any other suspects and there was no known ongoing threat to the community.
"This is not about race or religion - it is individual criminal behaviour," he said.
It will not be known for some time whether the man was radicalised or motivated by terrorism, Mr Gollschewski said.
He said the man was lawfully in Australia on a temporary visa and there were no records of him being on any watchlist.
He had arrived in the country around March but had entered Queensland via another state and was staying at the hostel.
Police are yet to interview the man, who remains in Townsville Hospital with what are believed to be non-life threatening injuries sustained in the attack.
A dog was also fatally stabbed during the rampage.