Worshippers’ ‘Murderer’ Appears in New Zealand Court

By: Yassmine ElSayed

CAIRO, Mar. 16 (SEE) - The main suspect in a massacre targeted two New Zealand mosques was charged with one count of murder a day after he killed 49 people and wounded dozens, Reuters reported.

Brenton Harrison Tarrant, a 28-year-old Australian citizen, appeared in a Christchurch District Court on Saturday and was remanded without a plea until his next scheduled appearance in the South Island city's High Court on April 5.

Handcuffed and wearing a white prison suit, Tarrant did not speak. His court-appointed lawyer made no application for bail or name suppression. He was likely to face further charges, police said.

The terrorist attack was the worst ever peacetime mass killing in New Zealand and the country raised its security threat level to the highest, while Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern vowed to reform gun laws.

Tarrant has been identified as a suspected white supremacist, based on his social media activity.

Footage of the attack on one of the mosques was broadcast live on Facebook, and a "manifesto" denouncing immigrants as "invaders" was also posted online via links to related social media accounts. Facebook said, that having been alerted by police, it had deleted the gunman's accounts "shortly after the livestream commenced". Facebook, Twitter and YouTube all said they had taken steps to remove copies of the videos. Police urged people not to view or share the footage.

Police said the alleged shooter was arrested in a car, which was carrying improvised explosive devices, 36 minutes after they were first called. It was still unclear whether any other shooters were involved in the attacks.

Armed police were deployed at several locations in all cities, unusual in a country that has had low levels of gun violence.

Ardern said the main suspect was a licensed gun owner who used five weapons during his rampage, including two semi-automatic weapons and two shotguns.

Funerals were planned on Saturday for some of the victims, several of whom were born overseas.

Dozens of people laid flowers at cordons near both mosques in Christchurch, which is still rebuilding after a devastating earthquake in 2011 that killed almost 200 people.

Leaders around the world expressed sorrow and disgust at the attacks. US President Donald Trump, who condemned the attack as a "horrible massacre", was praised by the accused gunman in a manifesto posted online as "a symbol of renewed white identity and common purpose".

Political and Islamic leaders across Asia and the Middle East voiced concern over the targeting of Muslims.

"He had a big gun...He came and started shooting everyone in the mosque, everywhere," said the man, Ahmad Al-Mahmoud. He said he and others escaped by breaking through a glass door.