The family of the LynnMall terrorist who stabbed seven people at a west Auckland supermarket on Friday says they are "shaken" and "heartbroken" by the terrible event and are thinking of those who were injured.
On Friday, 32-year-old Sri Lankan national Ahamed Aathil Mohamed Samsudeen attacked shoppers at the Countdown in west Auckland's LynnMall, injuring seven people.
The ISIS-inspired terrorist, who the Government had been trying to deport, was under surveillance by police at the time and was shot dead by officers minutes after the attack began.
Overnight Samsudeen's family issued a statement, which was written by his brother Aroos, revealing their shock at the attack.
"We wish to begin by saying that our family would like to send our love and support to those who were hurt in the horrible act," the statement said. "We are so shaken by what has happened and we do not know what to do. We hope these words will help bring some peace to your beautiful country. We are ready to help you all in the healing process no matter what is needed from us."
Aroos said his brother was suffering from "some mental health problems" which had deteriorated over the past decade.
"We hope to find out with you all, what happened in Aathil's case and what we all could have done to prevent this. We are heartbroken by this terrible event.
"He suffered a lot during his political torture at home. We were grateful he found the country where he wanted to live.
"We saw his mental health got worse and worse during the last 10 years or so. He spent a lot of his time in prison and was always struggling with some court cases.
"When we heard that he was in prison in New Zealand, we thought it would do him some good but didn't realise he would spend so much time there. He also had many problems in prison.
"He always wanted help and support. He told us that all the time."
Aroos noted Samsudeen would "spend a lot of time online" which the family saw as a problem.
"He wanted to impress his friends from Sri Lanka on Facebook. He wanted to share the sufferings and injustices. He saw himself as someone fighting those injustices."
In 2013, the family had visited New Zealand to see where Samsudeen lived, Aroos said.
"We love your country and your people and we know from what we have seen since the Christchurch attack that you are good people. We want to stand with you. We have lost Aathil."
Aroos said his mother is "so upset" that his brother - "the baby of the family" - is dead, and they are yet to break the news to their ill father.
In the statement, Aroos also mentioned his brother "always contradicted what he was told".
"He would hang up the phone on us when we told him to forget about all of the issues he was obsessed with. Then he would call us back again himself when he realised he was wrong.
"Aathil was wrong again [on Friday]. Of course, we feel very sad that he could not be saved.
"We all have to try to accept this. I pray that God will help us all to heal from this very sad day. We are thinking of you all. We are thinking of our parents. We are thinking of the boy who left us and the innocent people [who] were injured.
"Our lives have changed forever. We realise that it will take us some time to come to terms with this.
"We are thinking of the injured, both mentally and physically. May we all heal from this together. God be with you. Amen.
"We ask for privacy as we grieve and process what has happened. May God bless all those impacted."
Samsudeen's identity couldn't initially be revealed due to suppression orders. However, these were lifted at 11pm on Saturday night by the Auckland High Court.
