An Afghan refugee accused of ploughing his car into pedestrians in Melbourne was charged with 18 counts of attempted murder on Saturday, as police vowed a boosted presence over the Christmas period. “A 32-year-old man has been charged with 18 counts of attempted murder and one count of conduct endangering life,” Victoria state police said in a statement, citing Thursday’s attack. Of 19 people taken to hospital after the incident, 12 remain in hospital, with three in a critical condition. Thursday’s incident came after a car rammed into pedestrians in Melbourne’s busiest mall in January, killing six people. Melbourne has also been installing a public siren system to warn people of possible terrorist attacks or other serious threats.

Source: Pakistan Today December 23, 2017 07:52 UTC