The Coronial Inquest into the 2021 LynnMall supermarket attack has entered its next phase, examining how Ahamed Samsudeen became radicalised after arriving in New Zealand. The hearings will explore whether government agencies had opportunities to intervene before the deadly attack unfolded.
Report by elocal
Based on reporting by Finn Blackwell for RNZ. Original article HERE.
Focus turns to radicalisation
Nearly five years after the LynnMall supermarket attack shocked New Zealand, the Coronial Inquest has shifted its focus from the events of the day itself to the years that preceded it.
Coroner Marcus Elliott told the hearing the next phases of the inquiry would examine how Ahamed Samsudeen became radicalised and whether there were missed opportunities to prevent the attack. The hearings will review events from 2016 through to the day Samsudeen stabbed shoppers inside the Woolworths supermarket before being shot dead by police.
Samsudeen injured six shoppers after taking a knife from the supermarket shelves. Another person was injured while attempting to intervene before armed police officers, who had been monitoring him, shot him dead.
A gradual path to extremism
The inquest heard there was no evidence Samsudeen was becoming radicalised before arriving in New Zealand in 2011 or during his early years living here.
However, Coroner Elliott said evidence suggested his radicalisation towards violent extremism was well established by at least March 2016.
The inquiry will now consider whether prolonged time on remand, periods of prison segregation, access to mental health services, religious support and cultural assistance may have influenced that process. It will also examine whether government agencies could have intervened more effectively before the attack occurred.
Questions for government agencies
Another important issue before the Coroner is whether the actions—or inaction—of government agencies contributed to Samsudeen's trajectory towards violent extremism.
At the time of the attack, Samsudeen had been released from prison and was staying at a mosque after serving his sentence.
A subsequent coordinated review found members of the mosque were not fully informed about the level of risk he posed and did not receive sufficient information to help manage or support him.
Coroner Elliott said that review concluded community members should have been provided with more comprehensive information about the risks involved.
Ahamed Samsudeen appears in the High Court in Auckland in August 2018. Photo: New Zealand Herald / Greg Bowker.
Behaviour under scrutiny
The inquest is also examining Samsudeen's behaviour towards women during the period leading up to the attack.
Counsel assisting the Coroner, Erin McGill, said evidence suggested he became fixated on a female police officer and his lawyer, allegedly engaging in repeated unwanted communications, stalking and harassment.
The inquiry will consider whether those behaviours should have altered his assessed risk profile or prompted different management strategies by authorities.
It will also explore whether those behaviours formed part of the broader pattern that culminated in the LynnMall attack.
Probation officer describes unprecedented challenge
A probation officer who supervised Samsudeen following his release from prison described him as the most difficult offender he had encountered during his career.
"I have never had an offender that required such management," the officer told the Coroner.
The officer said Samsudeen's behaviour had changed dramatically during his imprisonment. Initially respectful, he later became verbally abusive towards prison staff, used racial slurs, threw urine and faeces at officers and deliberately provoked confrontations.
Building any form of professional relationship proved exceptionally difficult because Samsudeen distrusted authority figures and frequently withdrew his cooperation after initially agreeing to participate in rehabilitation programmes.
Lessons already emerging
The hearing was told Corrections has significantly changed the way it manages Muslim prisoners and inmates displaying signs of violent extremism since the LynnMall attack.
The department now works more closely with the Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand, the New Zealand Muslim Association and qualified Imams in an effort to improve rehabilitation and reduce the risk of radicalisation.
The Coroner will ultimately determine whether those changes address shortcomings identified through the inquest and whether further recommendations are required.
Current, Long-Term or Historic Relevance?
The LynnMall attack remains one of the most significant domestic terrorism incidents in New Zealand's recent history.
While the criminal events concluded in September 2021, the Coronial Inquest is examining broader questions that extend well beyond the attack itself. These include how violent extremism develops, whether public agencies shared information effectively, how prisoners assessed as security risks are managed, and what warning signs may have been missed.
The inquiry is not simply revisiting a tragic event. It is attempting to understand whether lessons can be learned that reduce the likelihood of similar attacks occurring in the future.
As the evidence unfolds, the focus is increasingly shifting from what happened to why it happened and whether New Zealand's institutions are now better equipped to identify and manage individuals who present a serious risk to public safety.
Source
Author: Finn Blackwell, RNZ
Independent reporting. Original context. Credited sources.