Counter-terrorism police have been brought in to investigate the fatal stabbing of a Pakistani man at a Queanbeyan service station overnight.
The 29-year-old attendant was found with stab wounds by a fellow employee at the Caltex service station on Bungendore Road just before midnight on Thursday, and he died at the scene.
Two teenage boys, aged 15 and 16, have been arrested over the death and an alleged second non-fatal stabbing in a Queanbeyan street about 6.20am Friday.
Deputy NSW Police Commissioner Catherine Burn said physical evidence found at the scene suggested terror links.
Watch: NSW Police's Rod Smith speaks about the attack
“The extent of that is unknown, and really, we can't draw any conclusions whatsoever and in fact it is only one line of inquiry at the moment,” she told reporters.
Asked if the teenagers had a connection to Islamic State sympathisers online, Ms Burn said police had information that indicated possible linkages to “terrorist activity”.
She said both of the teenagers were known to police, but did not know if they were on the radar of counterrorism authorities.
The teens were arrested in the ACT soon the after the second stabbing, following a police pursuit.
There were several other violent incidents, including an attempted robbery and two assaults, between the two stabbings that the pair may be involved in, NSW Police said.
"It doesn't get more serious than this... an absolute horrific series of events,” NSW Superintendent Rod Smith from Monaro Local Area Command told reporters earlier on Friday.
Watch: Mr Turnbull comments on Queanbeyan attack
Speaking in Sydney, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said the incident raised sufficient concern to warrant the involvement of the joint counter-terrorism team.
“The involvement in this crime of two males, two youths, teenagers is shocking and a matter which underlines many of the concerns we have raised in this field,” Mr Turnbull told reporters.
Pakistani High Commissioner Naela Chohan told SBS the man was a temporary resident who had been in Australia for eight years.
“The Pakistani community is deeply concerned and saddened by this horrific murder,” she said.
When asked about a possible racial motive, Ms Chohan said she did not want to prejudge the investigation outcome.
Ms Chohan said distant relatives in Australia had been contacted and efforts were being made to inform the man's family in Karachi. He was one of four brothers and was in Australia alone.
Consulate staff had been sent out into the 10,000 strong Canberra Pakistani community to speak with the victim’s friends, Ms Chohan said.
“It’s something that you don’t expect when you have such a good community that is well-behaved, law-abiding and then such a crime occurs, it is something that shocks everybody,” she said.
