Families desperate for news
Family members are appealing for sightings of their missing loved ones, including a year 10 pupil, following mass shootings at two Christchurch mosques.
Janna Ezat and Hazim Al-Umari last spoke to their 36-year-old son, Hussain, on Thursday night. They fear he is among the dead at the mosque in Deans Ave.
He is a regular at Friday prayer at the mosque. His parents have tried calling him repeatedly since the shooting, but have been unable to reach him.
The couple visited his home and his car was not there. They went to the hospital, but no-one could help them.
In a last ditch attempt to find him, they went to the cordon on Deans Ave to see if they could see his car.
‘‘We love you Hussain. If he dies it’s a holy Friday and he’ll be safe with God.’’
The couple immigrated to New Zealand from the United Arab Emirates in 1997.
Hazim Al-Umari said he did not attend the mosque and he advised his son not to go ‘‘because it’s not safe’’.
Hussain worked in the tourism industry until he lost his job recently.
They described him as ‘‘a kind guy . . . who always tried to help people’’.
Cashmere High School principal Mark Wilson said three of its students – two brothers in years 9 and 12, and a third boy in year 10 – were at the Deans Ave mosque when the shooting happened.
The brothers, understood to be Zaid and Hamza Mustafa, are injured and in hospital. The severity of their injuries is not known.
Wilson said he had been in contact with the family of the third child, whose whereabouts are unknown at this stage.
Omar Nabi said his father, Haji Daoud Nabi, who runs the Afghan Association, was inside the Masjid Al Noor mosque on Deans Ave at the time of the shooting.
He had since tried calling him several times but could not get hold of him. He was heading to the Christchurch Hospital for more information.
‘‘I need to know if my father is OK.
‘‘He’s a very humble man that’s helped a lot of people.’’
Nabi last spoke to his father yesterday morning before leaving the house. Nabi was due to attend the prayers yesterday but was unable to attend.
Amna Ali, currently in Pakistan, last spoke to her husband, Syed Jahandad Ali, yesterday morning while having breakfast.
One of his colleagues told her they left work at 1pm yesterday to head to the Deans Ave mosque. She had not heard from her husband since. She had spoken to friends and others but was not getting any information about his whereabouts.
Zuhair Darwish was standing at the Deans Ave cordon last night making an emotional plea for any information about his brother, Kamel Darwish, who attended the mosque during the shooting and is missing.
He said he came to the cordon when the incident unfolded and police directed him to Christchurch Hospital, but his brother wasn’t there. So at 9pm he was back at the cordon, pleading with police for help. The officers stood by with assault rifles and were unable to assist him.
‘‘I know it will take time, but nine hours? Come on guys. We just need to know anything. Any information.’’
Red Cross has started a missing persons list.
Canterbury District Health Board chief executive David Meates said about 200 family members were at the hospital awaiting news of their family members.
‘‘Together with police we are providing support to these people.’’