The hero Westfield Bondi Junction security guard who faced a visa battle to stay in Australia says he feels “honoured” after being offered permanent residency.
Muhammad Taha was stabbed in the stomach while trying to protect his friend during the deadly knife attack by Joel Cauchi on Saturday.
While recovering in hospital, Taha confirmed that the government would grant him the opportunity to remain in the country he considers home.
“Yes, (the government) has contacted me so hopefully they will start the process soon,” he told The Australian on Thursday.
‘I feel very honored. It is a great gesture from the government.
‘I’ve been in Australia for about a year and a half. It’s my home. I love being here. I’m very grateful for this.’
Mushammad Taha was stabbed in the stomach while trying to protect his friend during the deadly knife attack by Joel Cauchi on Saturday.
While recovering in hospital, Taha confirmed that the government would grant him the opportunity to remain in the country he considers home.
In an interview with SBS reporter Janice Peterson on Thursday night, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Immigration Minister Andrew Giles had spoken to the Pakistani migrant and expressed confidence that Taha’s visa problems would be resolved. “solved”.
“We know that Mr. Taha put his own safety at risk to protect the people who were there shopping,” Mr. Albanese said.
Albanese also told A Current Affair he was “very confident” the matter would be resolved on Friday.
“The minister has spoken to the gentleman still in hospital, Muhammad, and we wish him a speedy recovery,” Mr Albanese said.
“We’re just going over our processes, but we don’t see any reason why this shouldn’t be approved, and I’m very confident it will be approved tomorrow.”
The Prime Minister said people like Mr Taha were welcome in Australia.
“This is again another person who has just arrived, who was here working and risked his life to protect Australians he didn’t know,” he said.
“In the midst of all this carnage and pain, there are stories of bravery… he’s certainly the type of character we want to continue to contribute here in Australia.”
The call to extend a permanent visa to Mr Taha followed the Prime Minister’s announcement that “Bollard Man” legend and French citizen Damien Guerot could “stay as long as he wants” in Australia.
Mr Taha had asked why he had not heard from the Prime Minister with an offer of permanent residency.
“As a direct victim of the incident, I believe I deserve recognition and consideration for the public,” Taha told The Australian.
“Furthermore, the guards working alongside them ran to the scene of the incident and risked their lives… (they) should also be offered citizenship.”
Taha heroically confronted Cauchi, along with colleague and Ahmadi refugee Faraz Tahir, when the 40-year-old Queenslander began randomly stabbing female shoppers.
Faraz Tahir died during an attack last weekend
Joel Cauchi pictured during the rampage at Westfield Bondi Junction
Tahir was killed in the attack.
Mr. Taha has a graduate visa that will expire in a few weeks.
In the interview, the Prime Minister praised Australia’s multicultural character and said looking after each other is “what we do”.
It comes after Albanese offered citizenship to Frenchman Damien Guerot, who went viral after images of him looking at Cauchi at the top of an escalator while holding a bollard went viral.
He was quickly given the nickname “Bollard Man” and for his bravery, Albanese said he was “welcome to stay as long as he wanted.”
Guerot’s father told WhatsNew2Day Australia on Wednesday that his 31-year-old son was so full of adrenaline that he went for a two-hour run after confronting the killer.
Loic Guerot, speaking from his home in France, said: “I’ve had a lot of trouble sleeping, it’s incredible.” “I can’t find the words, I’m very proud.”
The family is from Saint-Jean-sur-Mayenne, in the Loire Valley, about 320 kilometers southwest of Paris.
Mr Guerot left the city six years ago and is now happily settled in Australia and works as a carpenter.
Guerot admitted he may have lost his son in the attack, adding: “Now he feels very, very good.” He then went running for two hours.
Anthony Albanese offered citizenship to Damien Guerot for his bravery
Frenchman Damien Guerot, who went viral after images of him looking at Cauchi at the top of an escalator while holding a bollard went viral.
‘We talked for two hours and then he went to sleep. And then to work the next morning!’
‘He always maintains the same values ​​and always thinks about others.
‘He’s always been ambitious, that’s right. He always thinks of others before himself!’ added Mr. Guerot.
A childhood friend in Saint-Jean-sur-Mayenne, who asked not to be named, said: “Damien is an amazing guy and extremely discreet.”
“He knows he’s famous all over the world now, but he doesn’t want to show off.” He will continue with his normal life, as always.
President Emmanuel Macron himself also praised Guerot and his fellow Frenchman Silas Despreaux for helping to stop the killer.
“Two of our compatriots behaved like true heroes,” Macron wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
“Very great pride and recognition.”