New Zealand Mosque shooting survivor says 'world will never forgive you' to gunman

While New Zealand’s Christchurch High Court began the first day of a four-day sentencing hearing of the 2019 mosque attacks, several survivors raged, chanted prayers and wept for the lost loved ones. Hundreds of people were affected by the horrific mass shooting at two Christchurch mosques. The mass shooter, who opened fire in the two mosques, was reportedly heading to the third mosque, but he was rammed by two police officers, dragged out of his car and arrested. 

Maysoon Salama, the mother of 33-year-old Atta Elayyan, who was killed in the attacks was quoted saying, “You killed your own humanity, and I don’t think the world will forgive you for your horrible crime. You thought you can break us. You failed miserably”. 

Gamal Founda, the imam of the Al Noor mosque who survived the shooting said, “We are a peaceful and loving community who did not deserve your actions. Your hatred is unnecessary. If you have done anything, you have brought the world community closer with your evil actions”. 

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According to international media reports, the gunman, 29-year-old Australian white supremacist Brenton Harrison Tarrant, pleaded guilty in March to 51 counts of murder, 40 counts of attempted murder and one count of terrorism. On August 24, the hearing began with prosecutors outlining the attacks in a 26-page summary of facts, the first detailed account by authorities about what happened that day.

Hearing of Christchurch shooting of March 15, 2019 

Barnaby Hawes, the crown prosecutor, reportedly said that two months before the attacks, Tarrant flew a drone directly over the Al Noor mosque in a bid to record an aerial view of the grounds and buildings and to take notes of the entry and exit doors. The prosecutor reportedly further added that the gunman planned his attacks for who the maximum number of worshippers were present and that 190 people were in the Al Noor mosque on the day of attacks. 

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As per reports, Tarrant had six guns, including two AR-15 rifles, two other rifles, and two shotguns. The court also noted that the gunman had brought with him four modified gas containers which he planned to use to burn down the mosques after he finished shooting. 

The attacks targeting people praying at the Al Noor and Linwood mosques shocked New Zealand and prompted new laws banning the deadliest types of semi-automatic weapons. The horrific incident reportedly also prompted global changes to social media protocols after the gunman live-streamed his attack on Facebook. Prime Minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern has also announced on October 14 last year that over the span of four years, 17 million New Zealand dollars would be spent in the improvement of resourcing for the country's chief censor and censorship compliance unit. 

(Inputs: AP; Image: @NZRedCross/Twitter) 

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