Friday May 5, 2023 RNZ
The suspect was arrested in September 2021An Auckland man who was radicalised online and came close to a violent attack on the public has been granted permanent name suppression.
The man was sentenced to two years and five months' jail in March in the High Court at Auckland.
At the time of his arrest in September 2021 - a week after the Lynn Mall attack in Auckland - police found hundreds of videos related to the extremist Islamic State group (ISIS) and documents including the Christchurch terrorist's manifesto.
Officers also found diary entries in which he outlined plans for a terror attack and apparent intentions to kill people.
On the eve of his trial last November, the defendant admitted threatening to kill, two charges of distributing objectionable publications and six counts of possessing objectionable material.
Court documents show the defendant had also told the undercover officer in a message online that he wished to kill between 20 to 30 non-Muslims, and that carrying out an attack in Auckland was plan B if he could not travel overseas to Syria.
It can now be reported the man has foetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) and intellectual disabilities after a judgment released today in which Justice Rebecca Edwards granted name suppression permanently and lifted some of the previous reporting restrictions.
The judgment said the man was a teenager when he was radicalised online towards extremism and the beliefs of Islamic State.
His online activities came to the attention of police, who launched an undercover operation going by the handle 'Ozarikon', a code name for an officer who posed as an ISIS sympathiser.
"The defendant did not know that Ozarikon was an undercover police officer," the judgment states. "The defendant directed Ozarikon to download a chat application which had advanced security settings to continue their exchange."
"The defendant messaged Ozarikon in 2021, stating that he wanted to carry out an attack on members of the public in Auckland. Various options for such an attack were discussed including using a knife, a car, or explosives.
"Further messages were sent indicating a desire to commit an attack on non-Muslims, and instructions on how to make [explosives].
"An attack kit was put together, including camouflage clothing, flick knives, and a list of 80 possible locations for the attack. This list of locations was sent to Ozarikon, and the defendant kept diary notes of his reconnaissance of these locations.
"After the terror attack in a New Lynn supermarket on 3 September 2021, the defendant messaged Ozarikon and said he felt inspired by what had happened and wished to bring the attack forward."
When the police searched the man's computer, they found about 600 videos, of which 360 contained ISIS material including footage of attacks, ISIS executions and a copy of the Christchurch attacker's so-called manifesto.
Three videos featuring the defendant showed him swearing allegiance to ISIS and claiming retribution against the government, New Zealand society and the West in general.
Defendant's troubled background
The judgment said the defendant, of Cook Island and Māori descent, suffered abuse when he was younger, was exposed to drugs at an early age and struggled at school, leaving at 14.
Since being in prison he had engaged with rehabilitation programmes and met one of the victims of the Christchurch attacks.
"[The] defendant attributed the cause of his offending to deep hurt from his time at high school, extreme isolation during Covid-19 lockdowns, and self-loathing and negative feelings towards himself."
He described a sense of belonging when engaging with other members of ISIS, saying it felt "like a brotherhood full of like-minded outcasts"."
The court heard consistent reports of the man having FASD - a lifelong disability - and exhibiting some features of being on the autism, anxiety and bipolar spectrums.
His background was described as one of "severe deprivation, abuse and social isolation" as well as being highly suggestible.
The judge said publication of the man's name could lead to further social isolation and dislocation.
"It is not the mainstream media which is the problem. It is the public vitriol he will receive once his name is known publicly."
The judge said publication of the man's name may endanger public safety and prejudice the security of New Zealand.
She also said it was unusual for the principles of open justice to favour permanent name suppression.
Name of Auckland man who plotted terror attack permanently suppressed | RNZ News
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