New Zealand: ISIS terrorist shot dead after stabbing six
Update: Jacinda Ardern has said her government tried for years to deport terrorist Ahamad Aathil Mohamed Samshudeen who went on to stab seven people on Friday.
Update: New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has promised to tighten counter-terrorism laws after their loopholes were left exposed after the supermarket terrorist attack.
Update: The name of the terrorist has been released by the authorities. Ahamad Aathil Mohamed Samshudeen was responsible for the attack; he had been released from prison in July, less than two months before the attack that has left 7 people wounded took place.
Update: In 2018, he was arrested again and the terrorist assaulted officers while in custody. His arrest came after objectionable material was found in his possession. He was let go in July when prosecutors had exhausted all legal options.
Update: Samshudeen was arrested in 2017 at Auckland airport while trying to fly to Syria. He had also been outspoken on social media where he was seen supporting or calling for extreme terrorist activities.
Update: According to health officials, three victims are in critical condition and one is in a serious condition.
Friday – Police in New Zealand have shot and killed a terrorist after he stabbed at least six people in a Countdown supermarket in Auckland’s LynnMall.
New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has declared the event as a terrorist attack by a Sri Lankan who was under watch.
The extremist took a knife from the display section and went on a stabbing spree. The team that had him under surveillance were there the entire time.
Soon, shoppers were seen running outside the building followed by gunshots.
The attacker whose identity has been hidden due to a court order was on New Zealand’s “terror watchlist” and had been under surveillance since 2016, five years after entering the country.
His “ideology” was motivated by ISIS and he was shot and killed in under a minute after the attack began.
Police have clarified for not taking him down sooner and said he was extremely conscious of surveillance so the teams had to maintain a distance to avoid making him suspicious.
According to the authorities, the terrorist was acting alone and no longer poses danger.
Prime Minister Ardern said the suspect wasn’t detained preemptively in the past because he hadn’t committed any offences.