New Zealand: ‘Violent extremist’ shot by police was previously arrested for planning lone wolf terror attack

The “violent extremist” fatally shot in an Auckland supermarket on Friday after he stabbed six people, was a known Isis sympathiser who had been held in the past for allegedly planning a “lone wolf” knife attack.

New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern said that the 32-year-old Sri Lankan national – who has only been identified as “S” for legal reasons – was inspired by Islamic State and was well known to the nation’s security agencies.

Ms Ardern said she had personally been briefed on the man in the past but there had been no legal reason for him to be detained.

"Had he done something that would have allowed us to put him into prison, he would have been in prison," she said.

According to media reports, the man had been considered a threat to public safety since 2016, after he twice bought large hunting knives and consistently posted content advocating violence. He was reportedly released from custody in 2018 and was under surveillance by the law enforcement bodies, including an armed tactical team, and national security agencies.

In fact, the Crown sought to prosecute the attacker under the Terrorism Suppression Act 2002 last year, according to the NZ Herald. But a High Court judge ruled against it, saying that preparing a terrorist attack in itself was not an offence under the law.

He was, however, charged for other offences including possessing a graphic video depicting a prisoner being decapitated and possession of an offensive weapon. The court sentenced him to one year of supervision.

“You’re worried about one knife. I am telling you I will buy 10 knives. It’s about my rights,” he was quoted as saying during his trial.

His internet history also revealed alarming searches. These included “safety and security guidelines for lone-wolf mujahideen”, dress of Islamic State, a help book for Isis operatives to  evade detection by the security and intelligence agencies of the west, and prison clothes and food in New Zealand, said the NZ Herald report.  He also looked up the case of Imran Patel, the first New Zealander to be jailed for distributing extremist propaganda.

The man first went to New Zealand about 10 years ago and appeared on the radar of security agencies almost five years later, in 2016, when he posted “staunchly anti-western and violent” material on Facebook. Upon scrutinising his social media posts, the police found he advocated violent extremism. He also expressed support for the Isis terrorist involved in the Paris attacks in November 2015 and Brussels bombing in March 2016.

Despite being given a formal warning by the police, he continued posting violent content. He was held by the police at Auckland international airport in May 2017 after he booked a one-way ticket to Singapore. During a search of his apartment, the police allegedly found material glorifying violence, including images of him posing with an air rifle and a large hunting knife kept under his mattress, according to the Herald.

He was then kept in custody for more than a year and pleaded guilty to charges of distributing restricted material. A high court judge sentenced him to supervision in 2018.

But on 7 August 2018, the day after he was released from custody, the man went to buy a hunting knife. He was immediately held by the counterterrorism unit which was surveilling him.

This time, though, the prosecutors sought charges under the Terrorism Suppression Act, which were denied by the High Court.