returned to a cabin to retrieve his cameras, just before the vessel sank. France initially denied responsibility for the attack, but later admitted its role. Two of the French agents involved in the attack were arrested, convicted, and jailed, while several others escaped. French defence minister Charles Hernu eventually resigned over the affair. Prime Minister David Lange later referred to the sinking as "a sordid act of international state-backed terrorism." Christchurch mosque shootings On 15 March 2019, Al Noor Mosque and Linwood Islamic Centre in Christchurch were attacked by a gunman. The shootings killed 51 people and injured 40 others, making this the deadliest mass shooting in New Zealand history. Two improvised explosive devices were found attached to a car and were subsequently disabled. Brenton Tarrant, an Australian, was arrested and charged with murder and engaging in a terrorist act. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern described the shootings as a terrorist attack. The gunman was later sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole in August 2020. Ardern implored people not to use the gunman's name, stating “speak the names of those who were lost, rather than the name of the man who took them. He may have sought notoriety, but we in New Zealand will give him nothing. Not even his name.” Auckland supermarket stabbing On 3 September 2021, Ahamed Aathill Mohamed Samsudeen acted as a lone wolf using a knife to attack shoppers at a Countdown supermarket inside LynnMall, West Auckland. He injured seven people and was being followed by police at the time. He was shot dead by officers at the scene about two minutes after the attack began. According to a statement by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Samsudeen held a violent ideology inspired by the Islamic State. Counter-terrorism The principal government agencies responsible for countering the threat of terrorism are the New Zealand Police (who have responsibility for direct action) and the SIS (who have responsibility for providing information on which action can be based). The counter-terrorism capabilities of the Police have been expanded in response to the 11 September attacks in the United States, and counter-terrorism also takes up a significant proportion of the SIS's budget. One observer has argued that New Zealand "already had in place a very comprehensive set of counter-measures" before that point. 2007 anti-terror raids Seventeen people were arrested in co-ordinated raids on 15 October 2007 by Police Armed Offenders Squads