Terrorist remains ‘committed’ to ideology
The Christchurch mosque terrorist remains “committed” to his ideology, according to a new police document.
The prime minister redesignated Brenton Tarrant, 33, as a terrorist entity under the Terrorism Suppression Act, in August. It came after a hasty law change to ensure the Government could continue to designate the Christchurch attacker as a terrorist while he was in prison.
The Australian-born white supremacist who killed 51 worshippers at two Christchurch mosques in 2019 was sentenced in 2020 to life in prison without parole for charges including committing a terrorist act. At the time, he was also designated a terrorist entity, making it an offence to support or participate in the terrorist’s activities.
Police made public the advice behind the mosque terrorist’s initial designation, as is usual practice. However, for the renewed designation, a summary of the advice was published on Friday after The Press sought the information under the Official Information Act, in January.
“Over the last three years, the entity has continuously demonstrated behaviour and actions that show he remains clearly and consistently committed to his ideology,” the summary read. “Information received shows that his actions continued to influence the radicalisation of groups and individuals both domestically and internationally, and to inspire others.”
It remained unclear what behaviours and actions had demonstrated this commitment, or whether “his actions” referred to the attack itself, or subsequent actions. Further questions have been asked of both police and Corrections about the summary.
In 2019, Corrections apologised after the terrorist was able to send a letter to a Russia-based supporter, who published it on the 4chan website.
The summary said the designation had “restricted his ability to receive material support, including funds, from others and to distribute material”. “This has therefore restricted his ability to actively promote his actions and inspire and teach others outside his imprisonment. Designation has also prevented the provision of materials previously owned by the entity to others. This has managed the risk that supporters of his ideology would use these materials as an avenue for further promotion or glorification of the entity and his acts.”
Under the law, a terrorist designation must be re-evaluated every three years.
In March, police director of national intelligence Dan Wildy said in a letter the full statement of case for the re-designation would be publicly released “soon”. However, a month later the summary version was published instead as the document would have required “substantial redactions” to make it public. No reason under the Official Information Act was given for providing this alternative to the original document.
In May 2023, four months before the initial designation was due to expire, the Government quickly changed the Terrorism Suppression Act to allow for the designation to be maintained.
Under the prior law, for a designation to apply a person must have “knowingly” been facilitating the carrying out of terrorist acts, or acting on behalf of a terrorist group – a threshold that was unlikely to be reached by a person in prison.
The terrorist continues to pursue an appeal of his conviction and sentence.