Police kill Islamic extremist who knifed six at supermarket

The Police in New Zealand shot dead an Islamic extremist, who knifed six people at a supermarket in Auckland, on Friday.

The attacker, a Sri Lankan national, had lived in New Zealand for 10 years. The authorities said they kept a watch on him for five years because of  his involvement with the Islamic State militant group.

“A violent extremist undertook a terrorist attack on innocent New Zealanders.

“He obviously was a supporter of ISIS ideology,” said Prime Minister Jacinda Arden at a briefing.

Describing the incident, a shopper Michelle Miller said the attacker picked up a knife from a display and started “running around like a lunatic” stabbing people

Before the police moved in and shot him dead, the attacker was reportedly heard shouting, “Allahu akbar” (God is greatest).

The police said they thought the attacker went into the supermarket to do some shopping.

Andrew Coster, Police Commissioner, said the man acted alone and police were confident there was no further threat to the public.

“We were doing absolutely everything possible to monitor him and indeed the fact that we were able to intervene so quickly, in roughly 60 seconds, shows just how closely we were watching him,” Coster said.

Source: Reuters