New Zealand knife attacker threw faeces, urine at officers while in maximum-security prison

Name: Islamic State supporter shot dead after stabbing rampage in a New Zealand supermarket
Uploaded: 2021-09-07T21:50:28.000Z
Duration: 2 min 6 s
Description: Islamic State supporter shot dead after stabbing rampage in a New Zealand supermarket

Ahamed Samsudeen was first jailed in 2017 after he tried to fly to Syria to join Islamic State. Police found Isis videos and a hunting knife at his flat

In 2018, he was jailed again on new charges and remained in prison until this summer. He spent his final year in maximum security, deemed an ‘extreme risk’

Reading Time:2 minutes

Why you can trust SCMP

Ahamed Samsudeen, who was shot and killed by police after he grabbed a knife at an Auckland supermarket and began stabbing shoppers, pictured in court. Photo: Handout via Reuters

Associated Pressin Wellington, New Zealand

Published: 5:50am, 8 Sep 2021

During the time an Islamic State-inspired extremist was imprisoned in New Zealand, he was moved to a maximum-security facility after punching officers and repeatedly throwing faeces and urine at them, corrections officials said on Tuesday.

Ahamed Samsudeen, 32, was shot and killed by police on Friday after he grabbed a knife at an Auckland supermarket and began stabbing shoppers, injuring seven.

Some 30 officers had been following Samsudeen around the clock for 53 days since his release from prison, worried he was primed to launch a terror attack at any moment.

02:06

Islamic State supporter shot dead after stabbing rampage in a New Zealand supermarket

Since the attack, the condition of his victims has improved each day. Police said on Tuesday that two victims remain hospitalised in intensive care units while two more are in general wards, and all are now in stable condition. The other three victims are recovering at home.

“This is really encouraging and positive news,” said assistant commissioner Lauano Sue Schwalger.

Samsudeen arrived in New Zealand 10 years ago from Sri Lanka on a student visa and later claimed refugee status. He was first jailed in 2017 after he tried to fly to Syria to join Islamic State.

He was held on various charges including fraud and distributing restricted material after police found Islamic State videos and a hunting knife at his flat. He pleaded guilty to five charges in June 2018 and was released because of the time he had already served.