News
Sri Lankan extremist shot dead after stabbing attack at New Zealand supermarket
PM says man was “a known threat to New Zealand”
Police in New Zealand shot and killed a “violent extremist” after he stabbed and wounded at least six people in an Auckland supermarket on Friday. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the incident was a “terrorist attack” carried out by a Sri Lankan national who was under police surveillance.
The man, who has not been identified, was a supporter of the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group, Ardern said.
Police killed the man within 60 seconds of the attack.
“What happened today was despicable, it was hateful, it was wrong,” Ardern said in a news conference. “It was carried out by an individual, not a faith.”
“Of the six wounded people, three are in a critical condition and one is in a serious condition”, health officials said.
A St John spokesperson told 1 NEWS five ambulances and three rapid response units were called to the scene at 2.40pm. “Police deliberately distracted the man to get his attention, who in turn charged at the officers. It is understood the officers then shot him.” he said. At a press conference Friday, Jacinda Ardern went on to say that the man was “a known threat to New Zealand”.
Ardern said the man was a Sri Lankan national who arrived in New Zealand in October 2011 but became a person of interest from 2016.
He was inspired by ISIS, Ardern said, and had a violent ideology.
The reasons he is known to agencies is subject to court suppression orders, but the Prime Minister said it was her view that it was in the public interest to share as much information as possible.
By law, he was not able to be kept in prison.
Police Commissioner Andrew Coster provided more detail, saying the man was “under heavy surveillance over concerns about his ideology”.
He travelled from Glen Eden to New Lynn closely watched by surveillance teams and tactical teams.
“When the commotion started, two police tactical operators moved to the scene and engaged him. When he approached with a knife he was shot and killed.
“The reality is when you are surveilling someone over 24 hour periods its not possible to be close to him all the time,” Coster said.
Ardern said there will be “multiple inquiries” into the incident.
Coster said police were unaware of any intent of Friday’s terrorist attack nor the extent of it.
“Based on our surveillance what we could tell is that he was undertaking what appeared to be a normal shopping expedition.
“However clearly we have been concerned about his ideology and that’s why he was under surveillance and with a company of tactical teams.
Coster said the man had been very “surveillance conscious and surveillance teams working with an offender over an extended period of weeks need to maintain sufficient distance for that surveillance to remain effective.
He said teams were “as close as possibly could be without compromising the surveillance operation”.
Ardern says suppression orders are in place over the man’s criminal history but says she’s preparing a timeline over “the man’s interactions with agencies and the law”.
“I think it’s in everyone’s best interest” to share that with you, Ardern said.
She said she was confident the man was a lone-wolf offender. She said he was known to “multiple agencies” and was “personally aware of him”.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
