New Zealand's immigration service was trying for years to deport the man who staged the stabbing attack at a Countdown supermarket in Auckland last week, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 06th September, 2021) New Zealand's immigration service was trying for years to deport the man who staged the stabbing attack at a Countdown supermarket in Auckland last week, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said.
The man stabbed seven people on September 3 before being shot dead by police. New Zealand's authorities designated the attack as a terrorist incident.
"Immigration New Zealand from the beginning have sought to deport this individual," Ardern said, as quoted in a statement on the government's website.
Ardern said that the man, who was originally from Sri Lanka, came to New Zealand on a student visa in October 2011 and applied for refugee status. After being initially rejected, he was finally granted the status in December 2013. In 2016, he came to the attention of the police and the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service who suspected him of illegally obtaining his refugee status.
"In February of 2019, Immigration New Zealand cancelled his refugee status. He was served with deportation liability notices. In April, he appealed against his deportation to the Immigration and Protection Tribunal.� He was still in prison at this time, and facing criminal charges. For a number of reasons, the deportation appeal could not proceed until after the conclusion of the criminal trial in May 2021," Ardern added.
According to the prime minister, at this time agencies were concerned about the risk that the man would pose to the community. In addition, the country's law did not allow for the option to keep a terrorist in prison while their appeal was being considered.
After the man was released from prison, he was closely monitored by the country's police, Ardern said.
"Since 2018 Ministers have been seeking advice on our ability to deport this individual," she said.
On Saturday, Ardern said that the government is working to pass the terrorism suppression laws "as soon as possible and no later than by the end of this month" which will allow for the possibility to speed up amendments to the counterterrorism legislation.
