Europe 1 with AFP 12:40, September 3, 2021

A man close to ISIS stabbed six people in an Auckland supermarket on Friday.

This Sri Lankan who arrived in New Zealand in 2011 was shot dead by the police.

According to New Zealand media, the 30-year-old was prosecuted last year after being suspected of preparing a solitary knife attack.

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 the police, while he was constantly monitored by undercover officers.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said she was "devastated" by the fact that this man was able to carry out this "hateful" attack while he was placed on the anti-terrorism list.

The Sri Lankan who arrived in New Zealand in 2011 walked into a suburban Auckland shopping center, grabbed a knife from a display rack and started stabbing passers-by, Jacinda Ardern said.

She said six people were injured, three of them seriously, before police officers watching him opened fire within one minute of the attack.

"What happened today was despicable, it was hateful, it was bad," she said.

"It was committed by an individual, not a religion, not a culture, not an ethnic group. He alone bears the responsibility for these acts."

Asked about the aggressor's motives, she explained: "it is a violent ideology inspired by the Islamic State group".

A stay in prison

Jacinda Ardern said she could not reveal everything about the man due to a past court ruling banning publication of information about him.

According to her, he spent time in prison before being released for lack of legal reason for his continued detention.

According to New Zealand media, the 32-year-old was prosecuted last year on suspicion of planning a lone knife attack.

However, the judge considered that the preparation of an attack was not in itself a crime under the laws in force. The man had been sentenced for possession of propaganda supporting the Islamic State group to 12 months under surveillance. A new anti-terrorism law has been prepared to fill in the gaps but has yet to be considered by parliament, Ardern said.

"The fact that he lived among the population shows that we have not succeeded in using the law as we would have liked," she insisted.

The head of government said she was devastated by the fact that a known terrorist threat could have materialized, ensuring that the incident would be examined in all its aspects.

“I know we were doing everything we could, so I was absolutely devastated,” she said, describing her first reaction to hearing of the knife attack.

Ms Ardern did not want to reveal how many people were being watched for terrorism in the country, conceding only that "there are very few people who fall into this category".

Monitored by agents

The Prime Minister thanked those who came to the aid of the victims, ignoring the containment instructions due to the pandemic. “To everyone who was there and witnessed such a horrible event, I can't imagine what you are feeling but thank you for rushing to help the people who needed you,” he said. she says. The authorities believe that the man acted alone and that the population is no longer at risk, assured Police Commissioner Andrew Coster.

Andrew Coster admitted that it would be necessary to question the circumstances allowing an attack to take place in front of the police officers, but he defended the action of his agents. "I am glad, based on the information I have, that the team involved not only did what was expected of them in this situation, but they did so with great courage," said Mr Coster added. "The reality is that when you watch someone 24/7, you can't be in their immediate vicinity all the time." New Zealand had its worst killings in March 2019 in Christchurch, when a white supremacist opened fire at two mosques, killing 51 people and injuring 40 others.