NZ authorities crack down on alleged Christchurch gunman Brenton Tarrant’s contact with outside world

The Australian man accused of the Christchurch mosque shootings will have his contact with the outside world quashed in an unprecedented move by NZ authorities after a six-page letter by the white supremacist was published online.

New Zealand authorities have taken an unprecedented step in cutting the Australian man accused of the Christchuch mosque shootings off from the world outside his jail cell.

The move comes after a six-page letter penned by alleged gunman Brenton Tarrant, 28, slipped out of prison and went online. The white supremacist wrote the letter in response to correspondence from a person named Alan who is believed to live in Russia.

The NZ Department of Corrections conceded the letter should never have been sent, and admitted they are still learning how to manage the alleged mass murder. The Department immediately blocked all Tarrant’s incoming and outgoing mail after the letter began circulating the web.

All correspondence to and from Tarrant will now be subject to a “strengthened process”.

NZ authorities have also revealed a second letter written by a prisoner with “extremist views” was sent out.

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Brenton Tarrant was responding to a letter he received from a person named Alan who is believed to live in Russia. Picture: Supplied

NZ Department of Corrections chief executive Christine Stevenson said in a statement the letter - in which Tarrant writes about his love of Russia and its culture - should not have been able to be sent.

“This morning I have briefed the Minister on a significantly strengthened process for the review and assessment of all of this prisoner’s mail,” Ms Stevenson said.

“The strengthened process which we are going to implement is unprecedented, and demonstrates the seriousness with which we are taking this, and our commitment to ensuring that we get this right.

“The revised process will include all of his correspondence being reviewed by:

- A Multi Disciplinary Team (including members of the prison management team, Corrections Intelligence staff, senior custodial staff and Corrections psychologists);

- Partner agencies with specialist knowledge;

- Our Chief Custodial Officer.

“The final decision about withholding the prisoner’s correspondence will be made by me as Chief Executive, in accordance with section 108 of the Corrections Act 2004.”

Under required minimal entitlements laws, NZ prisoners are allowed to send and receive mail, but NZ Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis yesterday said he had questioned whether current legislation was fit for purpose.

“We have never had to manage a prisoner like this before,” Mr Davis said yesterday.

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Tarrant’s six-page letter outlines his fondness for Russia. Picture: Supplied

The alleged massed shooter also talks about his favourite Russian songs and places. Picture: Supplied

The crackdown comes as Ms Stevenson admitted a second letter from a prisoner with “extremist views” had been released from Christchuch Men’s Prison.

She said she “did not have confidence” in existing review and assessment processes for prisoners’ mail.

“This is totally unacceptable, it should not have happened, and I apologise for any further distress this has caused,” she said.

“I have just briefed the Minister and given him an assurance that the following things will happen immediately:

- The mail of prisoners who have been identified with extremist ideologies and/or registered victims will be immediately centralised pending a full review carried out by an external party (to be determined). It will remain this way until the review has concluded and I am confident the new process in place will prevent this from ever happening again.

- This has also highlighted the need for us to look at the current legislation and how it is being applied and whether it is fit for purpose.”

Tarrant has pleaded not guilty to all charges laid against him. His trial is set to begin in 2020. Picture: AFP

Tarrant’s letter first emerged on alt-right messageboard 4chan. A member wrote along with a photo of Tarrant’s letter: “A couple of months ago I sent a letter to Brenton Tarrant and today I finally got a response.” The image shows an envelope with a stamp that says “Auckland Prison”, with the name Brenton Tarrant written above the return address.

In his letter, dated July 4, Tarrant refers to Russia as his “favourite place in the world”. He writes about the cities he most enjoyed visiting, and the songs he listened to.

“St Petersburg … is the most beautiful city in Europe, even more so than Porto in Portugal or Prague in Czechia,” Tarrant wrote.

He said “the Cossack song ‘when we were at war’” was among his favourites.

Tarrant wrote he ‘wished’ he could visit Russia again but “life isn’t all about travelling”. The philosophers Plato and Carl Jung are also mentioned, who Tarrant said influenced his social and political views.

Tarrant wrote he was “not doing much at the moment” aside from preparing for his trial, and said he could not go into detail about “regrets” or “feelings” in case his letter was confiscated and used as evidence. He added he had “no concern” about himself, but said he “[worried] for Europe’s future”.

He concludes: “Enjoy life, but do not forget your duty to your people.”

Mr Davis said he did not believe Corrections should have allowed the letter to be sent.

“I have made myself clear that this cannot happen again,” he said.

Tarrant is accused of carrying out the Christchurch mosque shootings in March that left 51 people dead.

In June, he pleaded not guilty to terrorism as well as 51 murder and 40 attempted murder charges

His trial is set to begin on May 4, 2020.