Big terror strikes New Zealand’s Mosques ; PM calls it ‘darkest’ day in history

Big terror strikes New Zealand’s Mosque:  At least 49 people were killed and more than 20 injured in a mass shooting in two mosques in one of New Zealand’s largest city Christchurch. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern condemned the despicable attack and recognized it as a ‘terrorism incident’.

In the light of the attack Police Commissioner, Mike Bush announced the arrest of a man in his twenties along with three other men and a woman. The man is charged with murder and will appear in court on Saturday morning, reports said.

Australian PM Scott Morrison confirmed that some people with Australian visa were suspected behind the attack.
Attack was carried out during Friday morning prayers at the mosque and was one of deadliest on the soil of New Zealand. Condolences poured in from leaders around the world including the Islamic world.

The live-streaming was carried out by one of the active shooters and eliminating those from YouTube, Facebook and Twitter created a challenge for this social media sites.

Both the mosques, the Al-Noor where maximum casualties were recorded and Linwood mosque, were kept under lockdown. Both the mosques were prominent and peaceful Muslim prayer sites and attack on them has deeply shaken the whole community. Police vacated a nearby climate change rally where thousands of school students were in attendance.

The tense situation was not limited to Christchurch city but also to all other mosques around the country, while police commissioner Bush also urging them “to remain indoor until hearing from police again”.

Rise of right-wing extremism?

PM Morrison called the terrorist an Australian born “right-wing extremist” terrorist with anti-immigrant attitude. One of the shooters, a white supremacist, called himself an ‘supporter of US president Donald Trump’ as a symbol of white identity. New Zealand PM condemned the attack and reassured that such extremist ideologies hold no place in New Zealand and in the whole world.

Sports team’s narrow escape Zealand’s Mosque

Bangladesh cricket team, who was on a tour in New Zealand, narrowly escaped the attack, a reporter accompanying the team said on Twitter. Top ranking official of Bangladesh Cricket Board confirmed the sequence of events and said the team returned back before entering the mosque acknowledging something not right. The board asked cricketers to remain confined to its hotel premises until further notice.

Reaction from around the world 

US president Donald Trump along with British PM Theresa May German Chancellor Angela Merkel condemned the attack in harsh words and offered their condolences. The Royal Family and Pope Francis offered “condolences” and “heartfelt solidarity”. French President Emmanuel Macron called it an “odious attack” and insisted “France stood against any form of extremism”.