The mother of a Sri Lankan man who carried out a stabbing attack in a shopping center in New Zealand on Saturday claimed he was "brainwashed" by his neighbors of Middle Eastern descent. Farida Ismail spoke to a local television channel about her son's case as the Sri Lankan government promised to work with New Zealand authorities to investigate the attack that occurred on Friday.
Ahmad Adil Mohammed Shamsuddin, who was killed by police after stabbing seven people, was on a terrorism watch list and was under surveillance by security agencies. New Zealand authorities indicated that he was inspired to carry out the attack by the jihadist group Islamic State.
In an interview with "Hiru TV" from her home in Katankudy, located 330 kilometers east of Colombo, Shamsuddin's mother accused his neighbors, whom she said were from Syria and Iraq, of pushing her son toward extremism. She indicated that Shamsuddin was injured in the fall of 2016, noting that the neighbors, whose names she did not disclose, took this opportunity to influence him, mentioning they were "the only ones who helped him during his recovery."
She added, "These neighbors from Syria and Iraq are the ones who brainwashed him," stating that her son began posting extremist views on social media after connecting with them. She remarked, "We knew there was a change in him. The change started after he left the country," settling in New Zealand in 2011.
Katankudy is a predominantly Muslim city in eastern Sri Lanka, which was a stronghold for some of the attackers involved in the Easter Sunday bombings in 2019 that targeted three churches and three hotels, resulting in 279 deaths. Authorities are investigating whether Shamsuddin had any links to those who carried out the bombings, which were blamed on a group that pledged allegiance to then-Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
The Sri Lankan government stated it would cooperate with New Zealand regarding the investigation. The Sri Lankan Muslim Council condemned the Auckland attack, labeling it a "brutal act of terrorism," and thanked New Zealand police for their rapid response. MP Mujib Rehman confirmed that Sri Lankan Muslims felt sorrow over the attack, praising New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern for her efforts to soothe tensions. He added, "Her statements after the incident diffused the situation and ensured the Sri Lankan community in New Zealand was not harmed." Ardern emphasized that the entire community should not be held responsible for the attack.
