New Zealand shooter sent bizarre manifesto to Prime Minister ten minutes before Christchurch terror attack
NEW Zealand mosque shooter Brenton Tarrant sent a copy of his bizarre manifesto to the country's Prime Minister 10 minutes before his gun rampage.
The leader's office has confirmed it received an email copy of his warped rantings just before the horrific attacks began on Friday afternoon.
What we know so far:
- Brenton Tarrant opened fire at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, at 1.40pm on Friday
- 49 people died- 41 at Masjid Al Noor Mosque, 7 at Linwood Masjid Mosque and 1 died at hospital
- 48 people were rushed to hospital with gunshot wounds and 20 are in critical condition
- Aussie-born Tarrant published a chilling 74-page manifesto before the rampage
- Cops arrested three men and a woman - initial reports of one wearing a suicide vest were incorrect
- A smirking Tarrant appeared charged with one murder. Authorities said more charges will follow
- Another man, 18, was charged with intent to excite hostility towards an ethic group
Other politicians on his mailing list included National leader Simon Bridges and Parliament's Speaker Trevor Mallard,
"The mail was setting his reasons for doing it. He didn't say this is what I am about to do. There was no opportunity to stop it," said a spokesman for PM Jacinda Ardern.
The spokesman said it was an email account managed by the Prime Minister's office and not one she personally receives. Security then referred it to the police.
He added the government would not be releasing its contents, the time it was received or even what was in the subject line.
"It does not set out what he was about to do. It was written as if it had occurred, to explain what obviously was about to play out," said the spokesman.
The white supremacist, 28, reportedly wrote a 74-page manifesto of hate in which he described himself as “just a regular man from a regular family”.
He listed Norwegian far-fight mass murderer Anders Breivik and Finsbury Park mosque attacker Darren Osborne as influences.
In the document entitled 'The Great Replacement' he also claimed that white Europeans were “failing to reproduce”.
A picture on the suspected shooter's now deleted Twitter page including a the Black Sun symbol which is used in Satanism and neo-Nazism.
Earlier it was revealed, the shooter had a gun licence and was carrying FIVE "modified" firearms during the massacre which left 49 dead.
LIVE-STREAM MASSACRE
Ms Ardern declared that "laws will change" following the country's worst ever terror attack which was broadcast live on Facebook.
Aussie-born Tarrant, 28, flashed a white power symbol as he appeared in Christchurch District Court today charged with murder.
It's been reported how he live-streamed himself as he stormed the Al Noor Mosque during Friday prayers, leaving dozens dead.
Cops believe he then drove for seven minutes to a mosque in Linwood Avenue where he shot dead a further eight victims.
He was arrested and dragged from his car, which was rigged with two bombs, 36 minutes after police were first called.
The shooter had “intended to continue with his attack” when he was tackled by brave cops, Ms Ardern confirmed.
“The offender was mobile. There were two other firearms in the vehicle the offender was in and it absolutely was his intention to continue with his attack,” she said.
The shooter had two semi-automatic weapons, two shotguns and a lever-action firearm.
Ms Ardern said that he had obtained a gun licence in November 2017, adding: "Our gun laws will change.
"There were attempts to change the law in 2005 and 2012, and after an inquiry in 2017. "Now is the time for change."
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Speaking later on Saturday, Ms Ardern said it "appeared" the guns had been modified.
"One of the issues we are facing is that the guns that were used in this case appear to have been modified," she said.
She confirmed that the evil murderer had a Category A gun licence which enabled him to legally obtain semi-automatic weapons.
