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Anger as Christchurch mosque accused pleads not guilty
CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand, June 14, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – The man accused of
shooting dead 51 Muslim worshippers in the Christchurch mosque attacks in
March smiled Friday as his lawyers entered not guilty pleas to multiple
murder and terrorism charges.
Brenton Tarrant’s barrister told Christchurch High Court his client was
pleading “not guilty to all charges”, prompting anger from survivors and
relatives of those killed in the March 15 attacks.
The self-proclaimed white supremacist appeared in court via audio-visual
link from a maximum-security prison in Auckland for the brief hearing.
Tarrant, a 28-year-old Australian national, was committed to stand trial
next year on 51 counts of murder, 40 of attempted murder and engaging in a
terrorist act.
His smiling demeanour enraged survivors still reeling from the worst
massacre in modern New Zealand history, who had packed the courthouse’s
public gallery for a glimpse of the accused.
“It just shows he’s an animal,” Mustafa Boztas, who was wounded in the
thigh, told AFP outside the court.
“I feel sad that someone can be so unhuman and take the lives of innocent
people.”
Abdul Aziz, who confronted the gunman at the Linwood mosque and chased him
off the premises, said he wanted to see the face of the accused.
“He was laughing there (in court) and he thinks he was so tough, but he was
a coward when he faced me and he ran,” he said.
“He was not man enough to stand up that time and (now) he’s standing there
and laughing.
“Put me for 15 minutes in one cell and then we will see if he can laugh any
more.”
– Fit to stand trial –
Tarrant allegedly opened fire in the packed Al Noor mosque during Friday
prayers, then travelled across town to continue the carnage in the suburban
Linwood mosque, while livestreaming his actions on social media.
The court heard that mental health assessments had found Tarrant was fit to
stand trial.
“No issue arises regarding the defendant’s fitness to plead, to instruct
counsel, and to stand his trial. A fitness hearing is not required,” Judge
Cameron Mander said in a statement issued shortly after the hearing.
Judge Mander set a trial date of May 4 next year, with proceedings expected
to last at least six weeks.
“The court endeavours to bring serious criminal cases to trial within a
year of arrest. The scale and complexity of this case makes this
challenging,” Mander said.
Didar Hossain, whose uncle and friends were killed in the attack, was
disappointed it would take so long for the alleged killer to face justice.
“It should be finished in six months, that would be good for us. We are not
happy,” he said.
Tarrant was remanded in custody to appear for a case review hearing to be
held on August 15.
Mander barred news outlets from taking photographs or video of Tarrant’s
appearance, although he said images from an earlier hearing could be used.
New Zealand’s government tightened the country’s gun laws in the wake of
the attack and has said it will review laws dealing with hate speech.
It has also supported international efforts to ensure that social media
giants do more to combat online extremism.
BSS/AFP/GMR/0835 hrs