New Zealand ISIS Supporter Shouted ‘Allahu Akbar’ Before Stabbing Shoppers, Witnesses Say

The inquest into the death of the man behind the LynnMall knife attack is finally revealing what happened that day, as witnesses share their stories.
New Zealand ISIS Supporter Shouted ‘Allahu Akbar’ Before Stabbing Shoppers, Witnesses Say
A frame from the in-store CCTV footage viewed by the Coroner's Court shows Ahamed Samsudeen in the aisle of LynnMall Countdown on Sept. 3, 2021, moments before he began stabbing people. NZ Coroner's Court
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With New Zealand subject to one of the world’s strictest lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic, very few shops were open on Sept. 3, 2021. The Countdown (now Woolworths) supermarket in Auckland’s LynnMall was one of the few that was, and it was there that a known ISIS supporter, Ahamed Aathill Mohamed Samsudeen, carried out a knife attack.

The inquest into his death has opened this week, starting with testimony from witnesses inside the store. Most are sharing their version of events for the first time. Coroner Marcus Elliott has also viewed CCTV footage from the store.

Rex Widerstrom
Rex Widerstrom
Author
Rex Widerstrom is a New Zealand-based reporter with over 40 years of experience in media, including radio and print. He is currently a presenter for Hutt Radio.