49 dead as New Zealand is hit by deadly terrorists from Australia
On March 15, 2019, there was a coordinate attack on mosques in the city of Chritschurch in New Zealand, that left dozens of people dead. The initial reports say that two city mosques – one on Deans Ave and the other near Linwood were attacked.
The prime minister of New Zealand is calling it “one of New Zealand’s darkest days.” At least 49 people are dead and 20 seriously injured in shootings at two mosques in Christchurch that were filled with worshippers during Friday prayers.
WARNING : Watch the LIVE footage of the terrorist attacking
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern confirmed seventy people killed or injured in the attacks, and described them as an act of “terror” by foreigners. Some 48 or more people were wounded and are being treated in Christchurch Hospital for gunshot wounds ranging from minor to critical. Four people have reportedly been arrested, including one woman, and an Australian citizen. None of the arrested was on any watch-list.
‘Extremist, right-wing violent terrorist’ from Australia
Tarrant, 28, was born in nearby Australia, the country’s Prime Minster Scott Morrison confirmed, according to the New Zealand Herald. Morrision called Tarrant “an extremist, right-wing, violent terrorist.”
Media reports have found that Tarrant is from Grafton, a town of around 19,000 people in New South Wales, Australia.
Inspired by far-right terrorist Anders Breivik
Tarrant in his manifesto, according to MSN News, wrote that he has read the writings of Dylann Roof, who shot and killed nine African-Americans in a church in Charleston, South Carolina, in 2015, “and many others.”
But he wrote that he “only really took true inspiration from Knight Justiciar Breivik.” Breivik killed 77 in a terrorist attacked in Oslo, Norway.
‘Just a regular white man’
In the document, Tarrant refers to himself as “European” instead of Australian and also says he grew up in a low-income working class family, The Guardian reported.
He wrote that his language, culture, political beliefs, philosophical beliefs, and identity are all European and “most importantly, my blood is European.”
“I am just a regular white man, from a regular family, who decided to take a stand to ensure a future for my people,” it says. “My parents are of Scottish, Irish and English stock. I had a regular childhood, without any great issues.”
Author of an anti-immigrant manifesto
Tarrant is the author of a more than 70-page anti-immigrant “manifesto” called “The Great Replacement,” which according to The Guardian, consists of a rant about white genocide and advocates for “an atmosphere of fear” against Muslims.
He posted the document on Twitter after the shooting. His Twitter account has since been disabled.