Repeated chances to de-radicalise Lynn Mall terrorist missed – report

A report into how the man behind LynnMall supermarket terror attack was managed has highlighted how there were repeated missed opportunities to de-radicalise him.

It described how key agencies, including police and corrections, did not set any plan in place to manage Ahamad Samsudeen's safe reintegration into the community when he was released from jail.

He'd been held on remand for around four years over several charges of possessing and sharing content that expressed violent extremism

In September 2021, just a month after his release Samsudeen, attacked several shoppers at the LynnMall Countdown in Auckland with a knife.

He lashed out at several shoppers, injuring four women, and one man directly. Another man who had tried to stop the Sri Lankan-born terrorist was also injured.

He was shot dead by police.

A review into the events leading up to the attack was undertaken by three separate agencies; the Independent Police Conduct Authority, the Office of the Inspectorate, and the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security.

It found because officials did not think there was any chance of a successful rehabilitation, they did not try. They also dismissed turning to his family, or the wider Muslim community here in New Zealand for help.

"Agencies appear to have discounted any chance of disengagement and rehabilitation and were not focused on developing a systematic and coordinated plan," the review authors write.

While they acknowledged Samsudeen was "difficult" to deal with and had an "aversion" to authorities, they said it was clear the "system as a whole fell short and did not produce a good outcome".

In particular, the review focused on authorities' failures to put a comprehensive rehabilitation plan in place, a reluctance to share information with frontline staff, and others supporting Samsudeen, and his increasing isolation while in custody, were all cited as contributing factors.

Samsudeen first came to the attention of authorities six years prior in September 2015, when he began researching how to travel to Turkey.

Described as a loner, who spent a lot of time online, he'd dropped out of his engineering studies at the Auckland University of Technology, and over the years had worked in a few temporary jobs.

But an NZSIS investigation found no security concerns back then as he was not travelling to Syria, where ISIL was based.

The following year he was visited several times by police for posting photos and videos of graphic violence against Muslims on Facebook, along with comments supporting violent extremism and ISIL-led terror attacks.

The review's authors say this was a missed opportunity that if taken could have helped support Samsudeen and address his needs.

In 2017 a former flatmate reported that Samsudeen wanted to go to Syria to fight for ISIL - a month later he was arrested at Auckland Airport.

His subsequent year in prison, became another missed opportunity, as the report drew attention to how no deradicalisation programme was made available to the prisoner.

"His violent extremist beliefs did not change and he became increasingly aggrieved and alienated."

He was released on bail in June 2018 as he awaited sentencing on several charges, including knowingly distributing restricted material.

But a month later he was arrested again - after being caught buying a hunting knife. He faced several charges including possessing objectionable material and offensive weapons.

For the next three years he remained in prison - a large part of this in segregation - with authorities not developing any plans to sway him away from his extremist views.

The report said while programmes for prisoners like Samsudeen being held on remand are not "generally practicable" more should have been done given he was a recognised national security risk.

"Corrections should have specifically designed disengagement programmes for those individuals presenting a high risk of violent extremism."

It also found his time in custody was "excessive" and that corrections had not met its statutory obligation to care for his religious, cultural and mental health needs.

"His behaviour markedly deteriorated towards the end of his time in prison and in September 2020 he was charged for assaulting two corrections officers."

The following year he was received a sentence of 12 months supervision on the 2018 charges, and was released on bail in respect to the assault charges.

A month later in September he carried out the supermarket terror attack - that led to him being shot fatally by police.

In responding to the report Police Commissioner Andrew Coster says it was an "extraordinarily complex case".

"Our view was that this individual was already radicalised before he first came to the attention of the authorities and was taking preparatory steps towards undertaking a terrorism offence. Ultimately despite our attempts the individual chose not to engage with any party."

Corrections chief executive Jeremy Lightfoot acknowledged the review's findings that it could have engaged more with Samsudeen during his time in prison.

He said changes were already underway, including having a case manager assigned to those prisoners designated an "extreme risk" were offered a clear rehabilitation pathway from the moment they arrived.

"I know our staff involved in Mr Samsudeen's management have been deeply affected by his actions and share my view that any changes that may help prevent others from carrying out similar attacks must be implemented."

Andrew Little, who is the lead minister for the government's response to the royal commission's report into the earlier terror attacks in Christchurch, also acknowledged the report.

"New Zealand is sadly not immune from the threat of terrorism. The Government's commitment is to learn from the two terrorist attacks we have experienced in recent years."

He says work's already being done to look at how terrorism can be prevented, through better community engagement, preventative and rehabilitative programmes and better treatment options for those still behind bars.

READ MORE: Don't Forget Us - The survivors of the New Lynn terrorist attack (by Sunday's Tania Page)