Extremist live-streamed video of mosque attacks

FORTY-NINE people have been killed at two mosques after a right-wing extremist went on a shooting spree in New Zealand.

Brenton Tarrant, 28, from Australia, appeared to have live-streamed the terror attack in Christchurch and outlined his anti-immigrant motives in a manifesto posted online.

The country’s police commissioner, Mike Bush, said 49 people were confirmed dead and that a man in his late 20s has been charged with murder.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern earlier said at least 20 other people had been seriously injured, and described it as “one of New Zealand’s darkest days”, adding: “What has happened here is an extraordinary and unprecedented act of violence.”

She added: “It is clear that this can now only be described as a terrorist attack.”

Mr Bush said the man charged with murder is expected to appear in court on Saturday morning.

In the video live-streamed by Tarrant, a man inside a mosque appears to say “Welcome brother” as a gunman approaches.

Mr Bush said three other people were apprehended, adding: “We believe one of those persons, who was armed and was at the scene, may have had nothing to do with this incident.

“And the two other people that have been apprehended, again in possession of firearms in the general environment, we are working through to understand what their involvement is.

“We have recovered a number of firearms from both of the scenes.”

Mr Bush said the attack was a “very well-planned event”.

Asked if the police were searching for any other suspects, he said: “We never assume that there aren’t other people involved, that’s why we’ve got an immense presence out there ... but we don’t have named or identified people that we are looking for, but it would be wrong to assume that there is no-one else.”

He added: “At this point we are not actively looking for any identified persons.”

A number of improvised explosive devices found on a vehicle after the shootings were defused by police.

Asked about the attackers not being on intelligence agency watchlists, Ms Ardern said it was an indication that they “had not acted in a way that warranted it”.

Of the victims, she said: “I will have been amongst other members of the public who will have seen the footage as the injured were being brought to Christchurch A&E and you certainly can see from that footage there is a real range of ages there.

“I imagine that these would have represented particular brothers, fathers, sons.” She added: “We have undoubtedly experienced an attack today that is unprecedented, unlike anything that we have experienced before. But, as I say, New Zealand has been chosen because we are not a place where violent extremism exists.”