NZ terror attack: court had warned attacker could commit violent act

The man shot dead by police after stabbing six people in an Islamic State-inspired attack on Friday was sentenced by a New Zealand court earlier and warned that he had the motivation and means to commit violent acts in the community and posed a high risk.

The report by the court described the man as harbouring extreme attitudes, living an isolated lifestyle, and having a sense of entitlement.

However, a judge's job in the earlier case was to sentence the man for the relatively minor crimes he had committed at that time, not for potential future crimes. Judge decided to release him under the supervision of a mosque leader who promised to try and help.