Three of 7 New Zealand attack victims in critical condition

Gulf Today Report

New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Saturday that a total seven people were wounded in a militant attack in an Auckland shopping mall and three are in critical condition.

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New Zealand supermarket group Countdown said on Saturday it has removed knives and scissors from its shelves, a day after a man the authorities called an extremist stabbed seven people in one of the company's stores.

New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern speaks during a press conference in Wellington on Saturday. AFP

"Last night, we made the decision to temporarily remove all knives and scissors from our shelves while we consider whether we should continue to sell them," said Kiri Hannifin, Countdown’s general manager for safety.

"We want all of our team to feel safe when they come to work, especially considering the events of yesterday," she said in a media statement.

Other supermarket chains had also removed sharp knives from sale, local media reported.

Police shot dead the attacker, a Sri Lankan national who cannot be named due to court suppression orders.

Police keep watch outside the Countdown supermarket at Lynn Mall in Auckland on Saturday. AFP

The Counter Terror Legislation Bill criminalises planning and preparation that might lead to terror attack, closing what critics have said has been a loophole allowing plotters to stay free.

But Ardern said it would not be fair to assume that the tighter law would have made a difference in this case.

"This was a highly motivated individual who used a supermarket visit as a shield for an attack. That is an incredibly tough set of circumstances," she said.

Ardern said the attacker came to the attention of the police in 2016 because of his support for a violent ideology inspired by Daesh.