Primary suspect in New Zealand shootings makes court appearance
CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND >> Manacled and barefoot, Brenton Harrison Tarrant walked into a courtroom Saturday and flashed an “OK” sign, widely seen as a symbol of white power, as he stood defiantly to face murder charges less than 24 hours after brutal assaults on two mosques in this city left at least 49 dead.
Police named Tarrant the primary suspect in what was called the deadliest attack in New Zealand history — and one of the worst cases of right-wing terrorism in years — after the 28 year-old Australian allegedly stormed two mosques during midday prayers Friday and mowed down dozens of huddling and fleeing worshippers while he streamed the mass killing over social media with a body-mounted camera.
Two others have been arrested in connection with the shootings: A second man, 18-year-old Daniel John Burrough, is expected to appear in court soon and face charges of inciting racial hostility or ill will. A third accomplice remains unidentified.
Christchurch hospital officials said midday Saturday that 39 people, including 2 children, remained hospitalized, with 11 in critical condition.
Authorities said that Tarrant was the prime suspect and that there were no immediate signs that he was part of a broader plot. Still, scores of additional police were deployed as New Zealand raised its national security threat level to “high” for the first time in its history.
The rampage sundered life in New Zealand, an island country of 5 million celebrated for its low crime rate, and sent shock waves around the world at a time when many countries are grappling with the rise in right-wing extremism.
During his hearing, which was closed to the public by Judge Paul Kellar in the interest of safety — an unusual move for New Zealand courts — Tarrant did not enter a plea to the murder charge. He appeared in white prison garb and stayed silent throughout.
Photos from the courtroom showed Tarrant standing in the dock, flanked by two police officers, as he shaped his right thumb and forefinger in a gesture that is widely seen as signifying white power. He will remain in custody and appear at a hearing April 5, when he is expected to face additional charges.
The judge ordered that photographs of Tarrant’s face be pixelated to protect the integrity of the trial process.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who decried the attack as an act of terrorism that plunged New Zealand into one of its “darkest days,” said Saturday that the country’s security services were tracking the “global rise in extreme right-wing rhetoric” but had not put Tarrant on a watch list. Security officials are investigating whether they had overlooked signs of an imminent attack, Ardern said.
The New Zealand Herald reported Saturday that Tarrant had sent a copy of a lengthy manifesto explaining his actions to Ardern’s office and many media outlets minutes before the attack began.
None of the three arrested suspects had criminal records, and Tarrant had a registered address in southern New Zealand but lived in the country sporadically. Instead, the former fitness trainer led an itinerant lifestyle and traveled extensively to Bulgaria, North Korea and countries with large Muslim populations, officials said.
Yet in a 74-page manifesto posted on social media before the shooting, Tarrant explicitly vowed an attack to kill Muslim “invaders” and seek revenge for crimes perpetrated by Muslims. In the document, which was laced with references to fringe online subculture, Tarrant said he hoped his actions would curb immigration, deepen strife in the U.S. over gun ownership and start a civil war.