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.

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

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.