Five days before he was killed outside a Melbourne police station, Numan Haider stood outside a shopping centre waving around a flag believed to be the one used by terror group Islamic State, while wearing army pants and handing out brochures about the Muslim faith. It was a dramatic change for the 18-year-old, who would more often be seen stacking shelves at a Coles supermarket, spruiking mangoes at his local fruit store as a schoolboy or praying at the mosque. Witnesses said the teenager was with a group of men outside the Dandenong Hub - a shopping arcade in Melbourne's outer eastern suburbs - when they were questioned by as many as 15 police officers last Thursday. On Tuesday, Haider was shot dead by a Victorian police officer after he allegedly stabbed two police officers near the Endeavour Hills Police Station. Scroll down for video . Profile picture: Numan Haider was decked out in military-style clothing in his latest Facebook pictures. Job: Haider worked as a spruiker and cleaner at the Dandenong Fruit Fair. The scene: This is Dandenong Hub, where Haider is alleged to have waved an Islamic State flag and handed out pamphlets promoting his faith. The Victorian Police officer was discharged from Dandenong Hospital on Thursday afternoon, a spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia. 'The AFP (Australian Federal Police) member remains in a serious but stable condition,' she said. George Sarkatzis, who owns Alabenlo music store at the arcade, said he had spoken to the teenager following Thursday's incident. He said about five to eight police officers surrounded the group on Thursday afternoon. He spoke to Haider after the police left. 'He wasn't like angry, he was just upset,' Mr Sarkatzis told Daily Mail Australia. 'He said: "I don't have the freedom to express my beliefs"'. 'My main concern was if you want to preach a belief in a peaceful place, don't wear army pants.' But this is not the first time Mr Sarkatzis had seen a group gather outside the Dandenong Hub. 'I've seen (people) now and again. They do come here and canvass their beliefs but I'm not sure if they were the same beliefs that he had.' Another witness - who works in a shop close to where police pulled Haider aside - said officers had asked the 18-year-old to pose with the flag but refused. 'There was a young guy, 18 or 19, and there were ten to 15 police officers near the pillar here,' he said. Witness: George Sarkatzis, pictured, runs a music store at the arcade. He witnessed Haider's behaviour last week. After the incident with police, Haider told Mr Sarkatzis: 'I don't have the freedom to express my beliefs'. Evening disaster: Police rush to the scene of the alleged stabbings on Tuesday evening. The incident occurred around 8pm. Police near the scene where teen terror suspect was shot dead by police on Tuesday night. Grim scenes: Authorities cart away the young man's body from near Endeavour Hills Police Station. The Melbourne Islamic centre that has been associated with Numan Haider, the 18-year-old terror suspect who was shot dead on Tuesday, said it was in no way involved with the incident. In a statement released on Thursday afternoon, the Al Furqan Islamic Information Centre said it was deeply shocked by the tragedy at Endeavour Hills. 'Al Furqan would also like to emphasise that both its centre and its president, harun Mehicevic, are in no way involved or connected to this incident.' The centre said it was disappointed with the way the mainstream media has covered the incident. It urged the media and politicians to show sensitivity. 'They were talking to him...and he had a black flag with white writing on it. 'He was carrying in his pocket or bag. The police took a picture of the flag...they took his details of the guy. 'They spoke to him for about 10 to 15 minutes.' The witness said Haider was with four to five other people who were giving out brochures. 'They had long beards and there was a skinny guy with a long beard.' Just behind where Haider was canvassing is Dandenong Plaza, where the teenager worked in the Fruit Fair a few years ago. Supervisor Nhung Dao said she recalled him working for them. 'Normally guys spruik the mangoes and pack fruit,' she told Daily Mail Australia. 'At that time he was just a school boy.' Haider was studying to become an electrician at Chisholm TAFE and also stacked shelves at Coles. He wrote in an online work history that he found the fruit store job stressful. Haider, pictured behind the wheel of a car in an image posted on his Facebook page. Police look on at the scene of the murder. Suited-up members of the bomb squad attended the scene. Grieving relatives were seen coming and going from the Haider family home yesterday. Police cart away evidence from the scene. 'This work required a lot of patience due to the nature of the job,' Haider wrote. I had to work long hours, at least 10 hours a day and the maximum break you could have was only 45 minutes.' Haider had been under investigation by authorities for at least three months. However, police had become concerned about some of his recent activities and rhetoric. Distraught relatives have been seen coming and going from the family's home in Melbourne's outer suburbs. A family friend memorialised Haider in a Facebook post, writing that he was Numen 'was NOT a terrorist'. 'I'll never forget how you used to help your mum with the housework whilst everyone else were doing their own thing,' she wrote. Helicopter: The scene of Tuesday night's incident. Grim times: Victoria Police Commissioner Ken Lay (centre), with AFP Commissioner Andrew Colvin (left) and the state's premier Denis Napthine (right). Forensic teams inspect the car park where the officers were stabbed and the terror suspect was shot dead. 'I'll never forget coming home from uni and seeing you and my little brother sitting on the couch playing video games then you'd pause the game just to say salam to me when I walked into the room.' Police had raided the family home hours before the stabbing incident, Victorian police commissioner Ken Lay told ABC 774 radio on Thursday. Officers then arranged to meet him near Endeavour Hills Police Station in the city's south-eastern suburbs, where the incident occurred. Mr Lay said there was evidence suggesting Numan Haider had discussions with other people prior to the stabbing. 'There's some information that he was certainly talking to other people around the time,' Mr Lay said. 'It's certainly something we're pushing.' 'Having said that, there were some really worrying pieces about this young man's behaviour that we are working through. But Mr Lay denied reported claims Haider - who had been carrying two knives and an Islamic State flag - had been planning to conduct a beheading. Mr Lay also denied claims Haider - who had been carrying two knives - had been been planning a beheading. 'There is nothing, absolutely nothing to suggest that was the intention,' he said. Police allege Haider greeted the Victoria Police senior constable and a 43-year-old AFP officer cordially on Tuesday night. Seconds later, he repeatedly stabbed both officers. He was killed by a single shot. - With Daniel Piotrowski for Daily Mail Australia .
Teen terror suspect was confronted by police after he waved around an Islamic State flag out the front of a Dandenong Shopping Centre .
After being questioned by officers, Numan Haider, 18, told a shop owner 'I don't have the freedom to express my beliefs'
'My main concern was if you want to preach a belief in a peaceful place, don't wear army pants'
The 18-year-old has worked as a shelf stacker at Coles supermarket and as a spruiker at the local fruit shop .
Victoria's police commissioner told Melbourne radio station Haider 'may not have been acting alone'
Distraught friends and relatives have been seen coming and going from the Haider family's home .
Five days before he was killed outside a Melbourne police station, Numan Haider stood outside a shopping centre waving around a flag believed to be the one used by terror group Islamic State, while wearing army pants and handing out brochures about the Muslim faith. It was a dramatic change for the 18-year-old, who would more often be seen stacking shelves at a Coles supermarket, spruiking mangoes at his local fruit store as a schoolboy or praying at the mosque. Witnesses said the teenager was with a group of men outside the Dandenong Hub - a shopping arcade in Melbourne's outer eastern suburbs - when they were questioned by as many as 15 police officers last Thursday. On Tuesday, Haider was shot dead by a Victorian police officer after he allegedly stabbed two police officers near the Endeavour Hills Police Station. Scroll down for video . Profile picture: Numan Haider was decked out in military-style clothing in his latest Facebook pictures. Job: Haider worked as a spruiker and cleaner at the Dandenong Fruit Fair. The scene: This is Dandenong Hub, where Haider is alleged to have waved an Islamic State flag and handed out pamphlets promoting his faith. The Victorian Police officer was discharged from Dandenong Hospital on Thursday afternoon, a spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia. 'The AFP (Australian Federal Police) member remains in a serious but stable condition,' she said. George Sarkatzis, who owns Alabenlo music store at the arcade, said he had spoken to the teenager following Thursday's incident. He said about five to eight police officers surrounded the group on Thursday afternoon. He spoke to Haider after the police left. 'He wasn't like angry, he was just upset,' Mr Sarkatzis told Daily Mail Australia. 'He said: "I don't have the freedom to express my beliefs"'. 'My main concern was if you want to preach a belief in a peaceful place, don't wear army pants.' But this is not the first time Mr Sarkatzis had seen a group gather outside the Dandenong Hub. 'I've seen (people) now and again. They do come here and canvass their beliefs but I'm not sure if they were the same beliefs that he had.' Another witness - who works in a shop close to where police pulled Haider aside - said officers had asked the 18-year-old to pose with the flag but refused. 'There was a young guy, 18 or 19, and there were ten to 15 police officers near the pillar here,' he said. Witness: George Sarkatzis, pictured, runs a music store at the arcade. He witnessed Haider's behaviour last week. After the incident with police, Haider told Mr Sarkatzis: 'I don't have the freedom to express my beliefs'. Evening disaster: Police rush to the scene of the alleged stabbings on Tuesday evening. The incident occurred around 8pm. Police near the scene where teen terror suspect was shot dead by police on Tuesday night. Grim scenes: Authorities cart away the young man's body from near Endeavour Hills Police Station. The Melbourne Islamic centre that has been associated with Numan Haider, the 18-year-old terror suspect who was shot dead on Tuesday, said it was in no way involved with the incident. In a statement released on Thursday afternoon, the Al Furqan Islamic Information Centre said it was deeply shocked by the tragedy at Endeavour Hills. 'Al Furqan would also like to emphasise that both its centre and its president, harun Mehicevic, are in no way involved or connected to this incident.' The centre said it was disappointed with the way the mainstream media has covered the incident. It urged the media and politicians to show sensitivity. 'They were talking to him...and he had a black flag with white writing on it. 'He was carrying in his pocket or bag. The police took a picture of the flag...they took his details of the guy. 'They spoke to him for about 10 to 15 minutes.' The witness said Haider was with four to five other people who were giving out brochures. 'They had long beards and there was a skinny guy with a long beard.' Just behind where Haider was canvassing is Dandenong Plaza, where the teenager worked in the Fruit Fair a few years ago. Supervisor Nhung Dao said she recalled him working for them. 'Normally guys spruik the mangoes and pack fruit,' she told Daily Mail Australia. 'At that time he was just a school boy.' Haider was studying to become an electrician at Chisholm TAFE and also stacked shelves at Coles. He wrote in an online work history that he found the fruit store job stressful. Haider, pictured behind the wheel of a car in an image posted on his Facebook page. Police look on at the scene of the murder. Suited-up members of the bomb squad attended the scene. Grieving relatives were seen coming and going from the Haider family home yesterday. Police cart away evidence from the scene. 'This work required a lot of patience due to the nature of the job,' Haider wrote. I had to work long hours, at least 10 hours a day and the maximum break you could have was only 45 minutes.' Haider had been under investigation by authorities for at least three months. However, police had become concerned about some of his recent activities and rhetoric. Distraught relatives have been seen coming and going from the family's home in Melbourne's outer suburbs. A family friend memorialised Haider in a Facebook post, writing that he was Numen 'was NOT a terrorist'. 'I'll never forget how you used to help your mum with the housework whilst everyone else were doing their own thing,' she wrote. Helicopter: The scene of Tuesday night's incident. Grim times: Victoria Police Commissioner Ken Lay (centre), with AFP Commissioner Andrew Colvin (left) and the state's premier Denis Napthine (right). Forensic teams inspect the car park where the officers were stabbed and the terror suspect was shot dead. 'I'll never forget coming home from uni and seeing you and my little brother sitting on the couch playing video games then you'd pause the game just to say salam to me when I walked into the room.' Police had raided the family home hours before the stabbing incident, Victorian police commissioner Ken Lay told ABC 774 radio on Thursday. Officers then arranged to meet him near Endeavour Hills Police Station in the city's south-eastern suburbs, where the incident occurred. Mr Lay said there was evidence suggesting Numan Haider had discussions with other people prior to the stabbing. 'There's some information that he was certainly talking to other people around the time,' Mr Lay said. 'It's certainly something we're pushing.' 'Having said that, there were some really worrying pieces about this young man's behaviour that we are working through. But Mr Lay denied reported claims Haider - who had been carrying two knives and an Islamic State flag - had been planning to conduct a beheading. Mr Lay also denied claims Haider - who had been carrying two knives - had been been planning a beheading. 'There is nothing, absolutely nothing to suggest that was the intention,' he said. Police allege Haider greeted the Victoria Police senior constable and a 43-year-old AFP officer cordially on Tuesday night. Seconds later, he repeatedly stabbed both officers. He was killed by a single shot. - With Daniel Piotrowski for Daily Mail Australia .
police station, Numan Haider stood outside a supermarket, spruiking mangoes at his local fruit by a Victorian police officer after he allegedly pictures. Job: Haider worked as a spruiker and have waved an Islamic State flag and handed out "I don't have the freedom to express my beliefs"'. 'My main concern was if you want to preach a belief in a peaceful place, don't wear rhetoric. Distraught relatives have been seen coming and going from the family's home in officers were stabbed and the terror suspect was