Shooter put on trial as NZ mourns
Everything was out of control, recalls the Linwood Mosque imam in Christchurch
CHRISTCHURCH/WELLINGTON: Brenton Tarrant, the right-wing extremist charged over the horrifying attacks on New Zealand mosques, flashed a white supremacy gesture as he appeared in court on Saturday, while a shellshocked community began digging graves for the 49 people he stands accused of slaying.
As details started emerging from the alleged shooter’s “manifesto” denouncing immigrants as “invaders”, media in Pakistan and a series of countries across the Middle East and Europe reported about his tourist visits over the past year.
The number of Indians killed in the horrific shootings rose to five after a 30-year-old electrical engineer from Telangana and three Gujaratis were declared dead on Saturday. At least nine people of Indian origin were missing since the attacks, the Indian high commissioner in New Zealand had said earlier.
One person was declared dead on Friday.
In court, Australia-born Tarrant stood largely impassive in the dock wearing handcuffs and a white prison smock, as the judge read the first of what are expected to be a host of murder charges he is likely to face. Flanked by armed police, the former personal fitness trainer gestured an upsidedown “okay” — a symbol used by white supremacy groups worldwide. He did not request bail and was remanded in custody until an April 5 court appearance.
Friday’s attack, which New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern labelled as terrorism, was the worst ever mass killing in the country. Two other people were in custody and police said they were seeking to understand whether they were involved in any way. None of those arrested had a criminal history or were on watchlists in New Zealand or Australia.
Meanwhile, local media in Pakistan reported that Tarrant visited the country as a tourist in October 2018. According to local publication Urdu News, Tarrant stayed at a hotel in Nagar valley in Pakistan’s Gilgit Baltistan region from October 22 to October 24. Israr Ahmed, owner of the hotel where Tarrant stayed, told Urdu News he remembered the Australian, who had checked in alone and had appeared “humble”.
CHRISTCHURCH: A few months ago, Christchurch’s Linwood Mosque proudly laid down new carpets in its halls. On Friday, the light brown carpets were stained red after an Australian terrorist now identified as Brenton Tarrant - stormed the building, spraying bullets at worshippers. “There was blood everywhere. Everything was out of control,” Ibrahim Abdel Halim, imam of Linwood Mosque, told AFP.
Like the wider Muslim community in Christchurch, Egyptian-born Abdel Halim is struggling to come to terms with the violence wrought upon worshippers this week as he waits to bury the dead.
Working together with the local Islamic community, Abdelhalim had sought to refresh the mosque after a trust bought it over in early 2018.
Some of the seven worshippers who died at Linwood were among the most enthusiastic contributors, donating their personal time to help in fund-raising efforts.
One local woman fell down beside his wife when she was shot dead, Abdel Halim said. His wife, Falwa El-shazly, was shot in the arm but survived the attack.
Another man, a Fijian-indian New Zealander who would regularly bring boxes of food from his restaurant during mosque donation drives, was also killed.
“They are dear to me, these are people who offer to us work for free,” Abdel Halim said. “It was a very bad day, not just all of us, all of New Zealand.”
At Hedley College, the main meeting centre for the survivors and victims’ families, local Muslims from various ethnic and cultural backgrounds shared wordless hugs and fought back tears as they exchanged news about their loved ones.
With Muslims making up just one percent of New Zealand’s population, some members of the close-knit community raced to the mosques when they heard about the shootings.