LynnMall attack:
Terrorist threw faeces, assaulted prison staff
6:43am • Source:
The Department of Corrections has revealed more details about the LynnMall terrorist's violent behaviour while he was remanded in prison.
Thirty-two-year-old Ahamed Aathill Mohamed Samsudeen was shot dead by police after stabbing six people inside Countdown LynnMall in West Auckland.
He had spent almost three years on remand in prison and at the time of the attack had only been out for seven weeks.
He had been living at Masjid-e-Bilal in the Auckland suburb of Glen Eden.
The Department of Correction's national commissioner Rachel Leota said while in prison Samsudeen was "non-compliant, with multiple incidents of threats and abuse toward staff".
This included numerous times when he threw urine and faeces at staff as well as threatening violence and assaulting them.
In one instance at Mt Eden Prison Corrections said he was unlocked for exercise but began arguing with staff and his behaviour escalated and he hit two officers.
"When being moved to the management unit his behaviour became escalated again, with threats made toward staff. He then assaulted staff again before force was used and he was secured in a cell in the management unit," Leota said.
For his last year behind bars Samsudeen was moved to the maximum security Auckland Prison with oversight from the Persons of Extreme Risk Directorate.
This is the same unit set up to manage Christchurch mosque attacker Brenton Tarrant.
The directorate looks after offenders identified as presenting an extreme and ongoing risk of serious harm and/ or having the capability and intent to seriously threaten the safety of prisons and the community.
