We must always remain vigilant

It’s hard to ignore the strange coincidence that in the same week the long-awaited report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Terrorist Attack on Christchurch Mosques was handed to the Governor-General, a New Zealand soldier has been charged with espionage.

There is no direct link between the events, but the soldier is understood to be the former leader of a far-right group called the Dominion Movement, which shared the same white supremacist world view as the Christchurch terrorist. Just as the terrorist was inspired by a deranged ideology that included claims of European civilisation was being undermined by immigration from Muslimmajority countries, the Dominion Movement agitated against ‘‘immigrant masses’’ in

New Zealand.

The soldier will face a court-martial on 17 charges, including multiple counts of espionage, and attempted espionage.

There were further chilling coincidences yesterday when it emerged that the alleged wouldbe shooter in the threat against Wellington High School students posted images online of the Christchurch terrorist and reportedly described himself as a ‘‘Nazi’’. As we have learned, such threats must be taken completely seriously.

Meanwhile, in Christchurch, another man was sentenced to community detention for possessing the Christchurch terrorist’s video.

What these coincidences really indicate is a need for vigilance and a greater public understanding of where white supremacist ideology comes from, and how it spreads. The public needs to be aware of the insidious nature of the ideology, which is often disguised as a nostalgic concern for European traditions.

We need to know that our intelligence services are doing all they can, and we also need to know that the communities who are targeted feel they have been listened to. The Islamic Women’s Council ofNew Zealand has often said, since March 15, 2019, that its warnings were unheeded.

It is hoped that these issues are thoroughly canvassed in the report from the royal commission. As it draws on close to 400 meetings and interviews, including with two New Zealand prime ministers and other senior politicians, intelligence officials, a group who assessed the response to an attack on amosque in Norway and a range of religious communities, the report is expected to be a long and probably painful read.

Although it was presented to the GovernorGeneral yesterday, it may be weeks before it is available to the public. But it has been written in such away that it will not require any redaction on security or privacy grounds.

The most potentially disturbing interview in the report will be that with the Christchurch terrorist himself. As he opted not to speak at his sentencing, and presented a subdued, pathetic figure in comparison to the demonstrative outpourings from affected families, the report may be the only opportunity that the public ever has to hear from the terrorist.

As well as understanding what intelligence agencies could and should have done, and comprehending the ways in which gun laws may have failed to protect the public, it is vital that we understand how and why an otherwise ordinary young man was radicalised to the point where he methodically planned and committed such an attack.

While the answer may not bring any comfort, it will help us to know what to look for in future and, we hope, to be able to stop this kind of atrocity from ever happening here again.

... we also need to know that the communities who are targeted feel they have been listened to.