Ahamed Aathil Mohamed Samsudeen was a 32 year old man fromSri Lanka. He attacked and stabbed seven people in a Countdown supermarket in New Lynn, Auckland, New Zealand.
Samsudeen was shot dead after the attack began.
Ahamed Aathil Mohamed Samsudeen Details
Samsudeen Was On Terror Watch List. “Samsudeen has been revealed to have been considered one of the small nation’s potentially most dangerous extremists. He had been on a terror watch list since 2016, had in recent weeks been under survllience 24/7, and was facing deportation.” [The Sun]
Was Tamil, Claimed He And Father Were Attacked In Sri Lanka. “Samsudeen had claimed he and his father were attacked, kidnapped and tortured because of their political background and their status as Tamils, a minority group who have been persecuted in Sri Lanka.” [The Sun]
Psychologist Said He Had PTSD. “As a Tamil Muslim, Samsudeen’s asylum claim was reportedly supported by physical body scars and a psychologist’s report saying he suffered from PTSD and depression.” [The Australian]
Posted Pro-ISIS Comments On Facebook. “Samsudeen featured on a terror watch list since posting pro-Islamic State comments on Facebook in 2016. Covert police were surveilling him around the clock since his release from jail in July.” [South Coast Register]
Samsudeen Was Sentenced For Possessing ISIS Propaganda. “The man who was shot dead by police after attacking a number of people at an Auckland supermarket had just last month been sentenced to one year of supervision for possessing Isis propaganda that promoted terrorism. The Crown had sought to charge him under the Terrorism Suppression Act but the application was declined.” [Stuff]
Family: Samsudeen Was Suffering Mental Health Issues. “We saw his mental health got worse and worse during the last 10 years or so. He spent a lot of his time in prison and was always struggling with some court cases. When we heard that he was in prison in New Zealand, we thought it would do him some good but didn’t realise he would spend so much time there. He also had many problems in prison. He always wanted help and support. He told us that all the time.” [Family Statement]
Countdown Store Attack Details
Attacker Took Knife From Store Shelf. “Their fears were borne out Friday when the man walked into an Auckland supermarket, grabbed a kitchen knife from a store shelf and stabbed five people, critically injuring three. New Zealand officials confirmed Saturday that 32-year-old Ahamed Aathil Mohamed Samsudeen was the attacker.” [Perthnow]
Undercover Officers Were Monitoring Attacker, Death Recorded On Video. “Undercover officers monitoring Samsudeen from just outside the supermarket sprang into action when they saw shoppers running and heard shouting, police said, and shot him dead within a couple of minutes of him beginning his attack. A bystander’s video records the sound of 10 shots being fired in rapid succession.” [Fox 23]
Samsudeen Shot Dead After Attack. “Undercover officers sprang into action as the attacker went on a stabbing spree at an Auckland supermarket. They shot Samsudeen dead within a couple of minutes of him beginning the attack.” [Hindustan Times]
Prime Minister Slammed “Senseless” Attack. “This was a violent attack on innocent New Zealanders. It was senseless” [Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern]
Video: Jacinda Ardern speech on Auckland terrorist attack
One of the first political bloggers in the world, Oliver Willis has operated OliverWillis.com since 2000. Contributor at Media Matters for America and The American Independent. Follow on Twitter at @owillis. Full bio.
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