Authorities had 'concerns' with LynnMall terrorist five years before attack

Authorities had 'concerns' with LynnMall terrorist five years before attack Ahamed Samsudeen, the man who stabbed six people in a West Auckland supermarket in 2021 before being killed by police, had raised red flags with New Zealand authorities nearly five years earlier. The coronial inquest into his death, ongoing in Auckland, has revealed that Samsudeen’s early interactions with law enforcement included warnings over his extremist views. His actions led to multiple police interventions, yet officials initially believed he had distanced himself from violent ideologies. Detective Superintendent Sean Hansen, a member of the police’s National Security Group during the relevant period, testified that Samsudeen first came to police attention in March 2016. At that time, officers discovered a social media account linked to him under the name Aathill Al-Ceyloni Al-Moori. The account featured images and videos depicting graphic violence against Muslims, alongside posts endorsing violent extremist groups such as ISIL. This prompted a police visit to evaluate Samsudeen’s potential risk. According to Hansen, the initial assessment indicated “some concerns” about Samsudeen, and his responses suggested he was unlikely to abandon his extreme beliefs. However, a subsequent visit in May 2016 appeared more promising. During this meeting, Samsudeen reportedly expressed remorse for his online activities and showed signs of distancing himself from violent extremism. Hansen described how the officers present felt confident enough to conclude that further direct engagement might not be necessary. “He gave the staff that dealt with him at the time a sense that he had acknowledged that what he was doing was wrong,” Hansen stated. “And that he was pulling away from that.” This optimism proved fleeting. By October 2016, police learned that Samsudeen had reactivated his Facebook account and resumed posting content aligned with extremist ideologies. In December 2017, he was arrested at Auckland Airport while attempting to travel to Syria to join ISIL fighters. While incarcerated, Samsudeen was described as uncooperative, refusing to meet with officers and using profanity. As a result, police shifted strategies, focusing instead on indirect methods of engagement. Throughout 2018, Samsudeen remained in and out of custody. During periods of release, he was occasionally placed in contact with local mosques, including one in Auckland, where he received assistance with housing and documentation. Despite these efforts, Samsudeen’s behavior grew increasingly hostile. By late 2018, he was once again imprisoned, staying in detention until just seven weeks before the attack. Hansen noted that shortly before his release, Samsudeen ceased all communication with police. During a recent hearing, the chair of the mosque, who requested anonymity, questioned Hansen about why the community had not been informed of Samsudeen’s early risks. Hansen admitted that, in retrospect, Samsudeen had clearly become radicalized. However, at the time, police did not believe he posed an immediate threat. “Our view at the time was that he wasn’t,” Hansen said. “Hence the reason we stopped any proactive work with him.” The SIS was tasked with managing the situation as an intelligence matter. The inquest continues to examine whether additional measures could have prevented the attack. Officials acknowledge the persistent challenge of identifying individuals at risk of violent extremism. “New Zealand is not free from violent extremism,” Hansen emphasized. “We’re not free from violent extremists. That’s why we have the SIS, and we have other agencies, is to manage.”