A man close to the jihadist group Islamic State on Friday stabbed six people in a supermarket in Auckland, New Zealand, before being killed by police, who had placed him under surveillance, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced during of a press conference shortly after the attack.

#BREAKING |

"It was carried out by an individual, not a faith, not a culture, not an ethnicity, but an individual person who is gripped by an ideology that is not supported here by anyone."



Isis-inspired terrorist gunned down was being monitored by police https://t.co/4gMJ4FQHF5 pic.twitter.com/J7VSB8yL4T

- nzherald (@nzherald) September 3, 2021

Under surveillance since 2016

The man, a Sri Lankan who arrived in New Zealand in 2011 and was on a counterterrorism watch list, walked into a suburban Auckland shopping mall, grabbed a knife from a display and started stabbing passers-by, Jacinda Ardern said.

Six people were injured, three of them seriously, according to the Prime Minister, before police officers watching him opened fire within one minute of the attack.

"Violent ideology inspired by the jihadist group Islamic State"

“What happened today is despicable, detestable,” said Jacinda Ardern, adding that this act was not representative of any religion or community: “It was carried out by an individual, not by a faith, not by a culture, not by an ethnic group, but an individual moved by an ideology which is not supported here by anybody ".

Asked about the aggressor's motives, the Prime Minister explained: "It is a violent ideology inspired by the Islamic State group", she added, ensuring that she could not say everything publicly about this man who had been watched since. 2016 after a court decision.

The authorities believe that the man acted alone and that the population is no longer at risk, assured Police Commissioner Andrew Coster.

New Zealand experienced its worst terrorist attack in March 2019 in Christchurch, when a white supremacist opened fire at two mosques, killing 51 people and injuring 40 others.

With AFP

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