Christchurch Shooter Sent Emails To PM, 70 Others Before Attacking

The mail was setting his reasons for doing it

Christchurch (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News – 16th March, 2019) Brenton Harrison Tarrant, the accused in Christchurch mosque attack, had sent emails to New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Adern and 70 other people before the attack.

According to New Zealand Herald, the Prime Minister's Office has confirmed it received a copy of a "manifesto" from the alleged gunman less than 10 minutes before the attacks began on Friday, along with about 70 other recipients.

Other politicians on the mailing list included National leader Simon Bridges and Parliament's Speaker Trevor Mallard.

Most of the other recipients were media, both domestic and international, a spokesman for Jacinda Ardern confirmed.

"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," he said.

The email had gone to Ardern's generic address.

The spokesman said that it was an email account managed by Ardern's office and not one she personally receives.

The person in the Prime Minister's Office who opened the email followed standard procedure and referred it to Parliamentary security.

Security then referred it to the police.

The email for Parliamentary tour desk had also received it.

During afternoon prayers on Friday, a gunman opened fire inside the Masjid al Noor mosque in central Christchurch, killing 41. Another seven were killed at a second mosque five kilometres away in suburban Linwood, three of them outside the building.

Australian national Brenton Harrison Tarrant was charged with murder over the fatal shootings in two mosques.

Tarrant had anti-Muslim and anti-migrant views and also expressed admiration for Norwegian mass killer Anders Breivik.