Shot bomber had Kiwi uni link

The Saudi man who studied in New Zealand and manufactured a bomb for use in an Isis attack was inspired by a close friend’s death, a former friend of his says.

Taie bin Salem bin Yaslam alSaya’ari died alongside another extremist in a shootout wearing a suicide bomb vest and clutching a machine gun, Saudi Arabia’s Interior Ministry said.

Al-Saya’ari manufactured the suicide bomb used in the July 4 attack outside of the Medina mosque where the Prophet Muhammad is buried, an assault which killed four Saudi security force members and wounded five, the ministry said.

Al-Saya’ari lived and studied in New Zealand between 2008 and 2013, primarily in Auckland at Massey University.

His former friend Homoud Alsalem says he left in 2013 to join Isis and fight Bashar Assad’s regime in Syria, after about a year of expressing increasingly radical beliefs.

‘‘One year before he left he changed – became more isolated, more religious, more enthusiastic about the Syrian revolution.

‘‘He would watch the news all the time about it. He became enthusiastic, sympathetic with the jihadists.’’

Alsalem said the death of another student Al-Saya’ari knew in the Syrian conflict was a factor in his radicalisation.

‘‘Another student studying in New Zealand went to Syria and got killed as part of the Islamic State. I think that shocked him, and made him sympathise with the jihadists more.’’

Alsalem knew Al-Saya’ari for about four years, meeting him through mutual friends. Though not close they would see each other from time for time.

Before he became radicalised he was a smart and helpful student, Alsalem said.

‘‘He was smart enough to know that this was quite wrong. He was a leader in his field.’’