Man, 48, charged with murder, arson, attempted murder over bus attack

Manmeet Alisher, 29, died after an “incendiary device” was thrown at him while he was letting passengers on at Moorooka on Friday morning.

Anthony O’Donohue, 48, has been charged with murder, arson and 11 counts of attempted murder relating to others on the bus, and will remain in custody until his case returns to court in late November.

On Saturday, O’Donohue’s lawyer said he had concerns for the mental health of his client, particularly because the heinous circumstances of the alleged offence did not “make sense”.

O’Donohue appeared briefly in the Brisbane Magistrates Court charged with killing Mr Alisher the day before.

“He’s numb, I don’t think he’s feeling anything at this point in time,” Adam Magill told the media. “He’s trying to come to terms with what happened himself.”

His brother, Amit, arrived at Brisbane Airport on a flight from India on Sunday morning and was given an emotional welcome from members of the city’s Punjabi community.

Mr Alisher, a prominent figure and beloved singer in the Punjabi community, was employed as a casual bus driver and had only been working in the job for several months before Friday’s horrific attack.

Queensland Police Commissioner Ian Stewart said there was nothing to suggest the attack was racially motivated, but Mr Alisher’s brother told the ABC he fears otherwise.

“We suspect that it may be (racially motivated),” Amit Alisher said. “We would like to see due process, we have faith in the Australian system.”

Manmeet Alisher, a popular singer also known as Manmeet Sharma, was killed in what police called a “senseless attack”.

The brutal attack took place on a Brisbane street around 9am Friday when the man allegedly threw the item at the driver as passengers boarded. Six people were transported to hospital with smoke inhalation and minor injuries.

O’Donohue was taken to the police watch-house on Friday night after being treated for injuries.

Family, friends and locals paid their respects to Mr Sharma, an Indian immigrant, at a vigil in Brisbane’s south yesterday.

Local councillor Steve Griffiths posted a message on his Facebook page, saying the vigil was not only to pay respect to Mr Alisher but to those affected. Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk said the driver was a casual worker who had only been employed for a few months.

Mr Quirk said flags would be flown half-mast at council facilities on Saturday as a sign of respect.

Police Commissioner Ian Stewart says counter-terrorism authorities are involved in a homicide investigation but he there is nothing so far to suggest terrorism- related links.

He also says there’s no indication the attack was racially motivated.

Earlier, tributes poured in after the shocking incident that killed the beloved singer.

Witnesses said a huge fire engulfed the bus as a taxi driver heroically kicked down the back door to allow people to escape.

“The flames were all the way up to the ceiling; the whole front cabin was just ablaze,” witness Clair Savage said.

“It was just massive — it was like a bonfire inside the cabin. They got out because a lovely man kicked the door in because the bus driver was trapped and the back door wasn’t opening.”

Earlier on Friday, Queensland Superintendent Jim Keogh told reporters at the Moorooka scene “There is no apparent motive. We’re not alleging robbery — this is the senseless, needless taking of a life going about supporting the community by providing transport.”

Mr Sharma, a prominent figure in the Punjabi community in Australia, is known by the stage name Manmeet Alisha, and friends have described him as being soft-spoken, courteous and genuine man, reported The Courier Mail.

The alleged attacker was “compliant” with officers who arrested him. He was taken to hospital to be treated for minor burns and was on Friday afternoon being spoken to by Homicide detectives.

“The bus pulled in for the purpose of picking up passengers at the stop, there were six people on board at the time,” Mr Keogh said.

Asked if there was any suggestion the two men knew each other, Mr Keogh said there was nothing to suggest a connection.

Six “deeply traumatised” passengers were taken to hospital to be assessed, mainly for minor injuries like smoke inhalation.

They were lucky to escape with their lives from the “substantial” fire. Some were already on the bus and others were at the bus stop where the arrested man had been waiting.

One woman was so upset she couldn’t even talk to rescuers.

Meanwhile hero cabbie Aguek Nyok told The Courier Mailhe kicked down the back door to allow passengers to escape the inferno.

The cabbie had stopped to get a haircut, said he saw the bus erupt into flames.

“Literally as I pulled up I saw and heard the front of the bus explode and a guy ran out and he was covered in flames, head to toe,” he said.

“All the people were at the back trying to get out of the bus but they couldn’t get out the front because of the flames.”

Mr Keogh said the driver’s actions were “heroic at the very least” and he praised the response by others who tried desperately to help.

Other onlookers said they could hear terrified screams coming from the bus.

A shop owner tried to put the blaze out with a fire extinguisher but the fire kept starting again — and the driver was still trapped inside.

The fire was eventually extinguished by 10am.

A statement from the Queensland Bus Industry Council said today was a “sad day for all within Queensland’s bus industry”.

“To say we are shocked that such an event could occur so unexpectedly is an understatement. We are also thinking of those passengers who witnessed this action today and wish them the best as they deal with this traumatic experience.”

andrew.koubaridis@news.com.au