AhlulBayt News Agency: Two Islamic schools in South Auckland, Al-Madinah School and Zayed College for Girls, went into lockdown today after receiving threats.
The schools, located on Westney Rd, Māngere, confirmed the lockdown and closure for the day, according to local media.
Police are investigating after an "email of a concerning nature" was sent to staff at Al-Madinah School. A third Islamic school, Iqra Primary School in New Lynn, is also on restricted access following the threat.
Amjad Ali, a senior staff member at Al-Madinah, told RNZ that a video was sent to the school's principal at 11 PM last night. The video showed a man displaying guns in a car and randomly shooting. Although the video was not filmed at the school, police recommended the lockdown.
Ali told the New Zealand Herald, "everyone is safe" and urged people not to panic. Police were notified of the incident around 7:15 AM this morning and are currently at the school conducting inquiries.
Both Al-Madinah School and Zayed College have stated that no students are onsite and police presence is ongoing.
Al-Madinah posted on its website, "Al-Madinah school is in lockdown."
Zayed College also announced its closure for the day following a suspicious call to Al-Madinah.
Commissioner Linley Myers stated, "As a matter of caution, following a suspicious call to Al-Madinah, Zayed College will be closed today. If your daughter or family member is currently at school, we are in full lockdown and will communicate with you as soon as we can."
Meanwhile, NZ Fiji Times reported that students had received threatening emails.
Al-Madinah School assistant principal Rizwan Hussein confirmed the situation, and principal Asin Ali advised students to stay home.
Iqra School principal Leanne Chartrand said, "We are on alert currently in the event of an emergency due to another school in South Auckland receiving threats. We have very good practices in place and the staff will be on alert to ensure our children stay safe."
‘Not a normal ordinary threat’
Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand's (FIANZ) Abdur Razzak told Midday Report he had seen the video and it was not good.
"It's not just a normal ordinary threat. To us it's a reminder of what happened on March 15th."
He believed the video was filmed in a New Zealand location and was a deliberate threat against Muslims.
"It was quite horrific and anyone receiving it would be traumatised."
Razzak said the threat should be a "wake up call" for the government.
"We are really concerned that the way we are seeing that the coordinating minister has started to de-fund and de-prioritise some of the national security scaffolding settings which were set up after March 15th and the Royal Commission."
"I think it's a wake-up call for the government to look at the decision of the coordinating minister, and if I may add, the video as you have pointed out in your news, showed military style semi-automatic weapons.
"I think it's emboldened these would-be terrorists, because that's what I have called them, now that we have a minister [Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee] talking about reintroducing the MSSA [military style semi-automatic firearms] and loosening some of the arms acts conditions.
Ministry of Education leader Isabel Evans said, "We are in contact with the two schools that went into lockdown and have offered our support if needed."
Al-Madinah School offers courses in Islamic subjects alongside the New Zealand Curriculum, while Zayed College for Girls is a state-integrated Islamic secondary school for girls from Year 7 to 13.
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The schools, located on Westney Rd, Māngere, confirmed the lockdown and closure for the day, according to local media.
Police are investigating after an "email of a concerning nature" was sent to staff at Al-Madinah School. A third Islamic school, Iqra Primary School in New Lynn, is also on restricted access following the threat.
Amjad Ali, a senior staff member at Al-Madinah, told RNZ that a video was sent to the school's principal at 11 PM last night. The video showed a man displaying guns in a car and randomly shooting. Although the video was not filmed at the school, police recommended the lockdown.
Ali told the New Zealand Herald, "everyone is safe" and urged people not to panic. Police were notified of the incident around 7:15 AM this morning and are currently at the school conducting inquiries.
Both Al-Madinah School and Zayed College have stated that no students are onsite and police presence is ongoing.
Al-Madinah posted on its website, "Al-Madinah school is in lockdown."
Zayed College also announced its closure for the day following a suspicious call to Al-Madinah.
Commissioner Linley Myers stated, "As a matter of caution, following a suspicious call to Al-Madinah, Zayed College will be closed today. If your daughter or family member is currently at school, we are in full lockdown and will communicate with you as soon as we can."
Meanwhile, NZ Fiji Times reported that students had received threatening emails.
Al-Madinah School assistant principal Rizwan Hussein confirmed the situation, and principal Asin Ali advised students to stay home.
Iqra School principal Leanne Chartrand said, "We are on alert currently in the event of an emergency due to another school in South Auckland receiving threats. We have very good practices in place and the staff will be on alert to ensure our children stay safe."
‘Not a normal ordinary threat’
Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand's (FIANZ) Abdur Razzak told Midday Report he had seen the video and it was not good.
"It's not just a normal ordinary threat. To us it's a reminder of what happened on March 15th."
He believed the video was filmed in a New Zealand location and was a deliberate threat against Muslims.
"It was quite horrific and anyone receiving it would be traumatised."
Razzak said the threat should be a "wake up call" for the government.
"We are really concerned that the way we are seeing that the coordinating minister has started to de-fund and de-prioritise some of the national security scaffolding settings which were set up after March 15th and the Royal Commission."
"I think it's a wake-up call for the government to look at the decision of the coordinating minister, and if I may add, the video as you have pointed out in your news, showed military style semi-automatic weapons.
"I think it's emboldened these would-be terrorists, because that's what I have called them, now that we have a minister [Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee] talking about reintroducing the MSSA [military style semi-automatic firearms] and loosening some of the arms acts conditions.
Ministry of Education leader Isabel Evans said, "We are in contact with the two schools that went into lockdown and have offered our support if needed."
Al-Madinah School offers courses in Islamic subjects alongside the New Zealand Curriculum, while Zayed College for Girls is a state-integrated Islamic secondary school for girls from Year 7 to 13.
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