Heartbreaking image from first Christchurch massacre burial

New Zealand leader Jacinda Ardern has shared an important message with Australians in the wake of the horrific Christchurch shootings.

Jacinda Ardern has stressed the actions of the Christchurch shooter do not affect the relationship between Australia and New Zealand.

At a press conference in the area earlier this afternoon, the New Zealand leader was asked by a journalist what she wanted to say to the people of Australia, given Friday’s shooter was from NSW.

“We’re also incredibly aware that Australians will be feeling that too,” she said. “Yes, we have acknowledged this person was not a New Zealand citizen. They did not grow up with this ideology here. They did come to us and they did bring this terrorist act with them but we do not see that as a reflection of our relationship with Australia.

“I do draw that distinction. I think New Zealanders draw that distinction.”

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern stressed that the relationship between Australians and New Zealanders is still strong.

In the same presser, Ms Ardern said there will be a two-minute silence this Friday, as well as a memorial service later.

She also acknowledged there were a “large number of loopholes” in New Zealand’s gun laws to be fixed.

“Many New Zealanders would be astounded to know that you can access military-style semi-automatics.

“If I could say New Zealand was a blueprint for anything, I would say it was a blueprint of what not to do.”

In discussing her interactions with the New Zealand Muslim community, Ms Ardern said they are “demonstrating upper compassion for one another and gratitude for the support of New Zealanders”.

“What I’ve heard from the Muslim community (is) the rejection of extremism, violence and hate, no matter where it comes from.”

She noted one of the stories she had heard in the aftermath of the attack was that some of the victims were Syrian refugees.

“I cannot tell you how gutting it is to know that a family came here for safety and refuge and they should have been safe here.”

She also addressed Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan’s comments which criticised Anzacs for their role in the Gallipoli campaign, and showed footage of the Christchurch attack to threaten anyone who came to his country with anti-Islam sentiment.

While noting Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters would confront those issues while in Turkey, she said it would not impact the relationship between the two countries. “It is so deeply entrenched. They have cared for our fallen.

“I reject the idea we are losing that relationship.”

ANNING SLAMS TURKISH PRESIDENT

Fraser Anning has slammed the Turkish President over his comments on the Anzacs, demanding he apologise to Australia.

“This represents a new low for President Erdogan,” he said. “In an anti-Western rant, Erdogan has made threats against Australians and New Zealanders who would commemorate the memory of our Anzacs.

“The Turkish President threatened that Anti-Muslim Australians who visit his country would return home in coffins “like their grandfathers.”

“If you had any doubt that Islam and the civilised World are incompatible this threat should clear that up for you.”

He accused Mr Erdogan of being “hysterical” and “clumsy” with his remarks.

“I demand an apology to Australia from the Turkish President and call on him to consider the great legacy of Ataturk and the tradition of friendship which he fostered between our two great nations which reckless threats place in jeopardy.”

MAN CHARGED WITH SHARING SHOOTING FOOTAGE

A Christchurch businessman has appeared in court on charges of distributing footage of one of the mosque shootings.

Philip Neville Arps, 44, had his application for bail declined when he appeared in the Christchurch District Court today, The New Zealand Herald reports.

He was remanded in custody until his next appearance on April 15.

Arps, who runs an insulation business, faced two charges of distributing the livestream “of the multiple murder victims at the Deans Ave Mosque”.

The alleged offending occurred on March 16, the day after the shootings at two Christchurch mosques, in which 50 people died.

The charges have a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison.

Philip Arps has appeared in court on charges of distributing footage of one of the mosque shootings.

In court, Arps was handcuffed and dressed in blue T-shirt, track pants and socks. His arms were heavily tattooed.

He is the director of a company which is under scrutiny for having a Nazi sign as its logo - the same symbol featured in a manifesto by the alleged shooter.

The company, Beneficial Insulation, has a sun wheel as its company logo. It is a symbol employed in a post-Third Reich context by neo-Nazis and some occult subcultures.

Judge Stephen O’Driscoll granted a police request to clear the public gallery for the hearing.

The courtroom was heavily guarded by security.

HEARTBREAKING PHOTO FROM FIRST BURIAL

Heartbreaking scenes have been observed at the first burial ceremonies after Friday’s attack, where a father and son from Syria were farewelled by loved ones.

Khaled Mustafa, 44, and his 15-year-old son, Hamza, who had arrived in New Zealand from Syria just months ago, were laid to rest in the city’s east this morning.

Silence fell across the cemetery as the bodies were lifted up by male mourners and carried from shoulder to shoulder.

Jamil el-biza from the Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jamaah Association in Sydney was present at the funeral. He told Fairfax he overheard the victim’s younger brother Zahid, 13, say: “I don’t want to be here alone”.

Zahid is in a wheelchair having been shot during the attack on Al Noor mosque.

Families who have waited patiently will finally get some closure, five days after their loved ones were murdered.

Six bodies had been returned to loved ones, and the agonising and time-consuming process of identifying the other victims was well underway.

Overall, only 21 of the victims have been identified.

New Zealand Police used social media to ease concerns over the length of time taken to hand the bodies back.

“Police are acutely aware of frustrations by families associated with the length of time required for the identification process following Friday’s terror attack,” New Zealand Police tweeted overnight.

Zaid Mustafa, in a wheelchair after Friday’s attack, during the funeral of his slain father Khalid Mustafa and brother Hamza Mustafa. Picture: Anthony Wallace/AFP

A police officer stands guard outside the burial ground where funerals for two victims are taking place today. Picture: William West/AFP

Police Commissioner Mike Bush addressed the media this morning, declaring the return of victims’ bodies is his number one focus.

“This is for us an absolute priority, for family reasons, for compassionate reasons and for cultural reasons,” he said.

“It was our intention to do what we could to complete that by today. We are making very good progress.”

He explained why it was taking so long.

“I want to assure people about how much we’re doing,” he said. “We have over 120 people involved in this process. We have the country’s best pathologists, we have a large police team, international experts as part of that 120-strong team whose absolute focus is reuniting these victims with their loved ones.

“We have 21 family liaison officers who are meeting and have met with every one of those families.

“We have other obligations. Ensure absolute accuracy in that identification process. It must be to the standard required for a Coroner.”

COPS STOPPED GUNMAN FROM ANOTHER TARGET

The Police Commissioner has commended his “courageous” officers who arrested the alleged gunman 21 minutes after they were alerted while he was en route to another attack.

Mike Bush provided the updated information to media today, saying it took 5 minutes and 39 seconds for police to be armed and on the scene ready to respond to the attack. In 10 minutes the armed offenders squad was on the scene, New Zealand Herald reports.

“In 21 minutes the person now in custody was arrested from when we were first notified to when we intervened and he was arrested, away from further harm from the public,” Mr Bush said.

“We strongly believe we stopped him on the way to further attack. Lives were saved.”

The timeline of events for Friday’s attacks which killed 50 people and wounded another 50 was about 40 minutes.

The accused gunman was arrested by two officers on Brougham St, following the shootings at both the Deans Ave and Linwood mosques.

Mr Bush said this was “absolutely an international investigation”.

NZ Police Commissioner Mike Bush told reporters the accused terrorist was on his way to carry out a third attack. Picture: Daniel Hicks/AAP

It involved New Zealand police, the FBI, Australian police, and Five Eyes partners.

“To build a comprehensive picture of this person we will put before the court.”

Mr Bush confirmed there was just one attacker.

“A focus [of the investigation] is to figure out if anyone else was supporting him in any way. We are still conducting that part of the investigation.”

They were not looking at anyone specifically.

At the accused gunman’s next court appearance, at the High Court on April 5, there would “undoubtedly be more charges”, Mr Bush said.

“We are working towards, as you can imagine, a considerable number of the most serious charges.”

Regarding the other people charged, Mr Bush said was a lone man who appeared at one of the cordons with a firearm, and the others were a couple – a man and a woman.

The woman had been released while the man had been charged with a firearms offence.

“We do not believe they are related to the attacker in any way,” Mr Bush said.

IS ISSUES CALLS FOR REVENGE ATTACKS

Islamic State has responded to the terror attack at Christchurch with a 44-minute video inciting further violence and urging supporters to retaliate.

The terror group was one of many to use the New Zealand mosque shooting to call for retaliation, joining the likes of al-Qaeda and the Taliban.

The video featured the voice of Abu Hassan al Muhajir, who has not been heard from in months and is among the most wanted terrorists on the planet.

“The scenes of the massacres in the two mosques should wake up those who were fooled, and should incite the supporters of the caliphate to avenge their religion,” al-Muhajir said.

New York Times journalist Rukmini Callimachi, who has spent years following IS, explained in a series of tweets why the recording is so significant.

She said the statement from the IS spokesman — a man so secretive nobody even knows what he looks like — is his first in six months and is 10 times longer than his last statement.

1. Three days ago, a devastating attack on Muslim worshippers in New Zealand shook the world. Today, the ISIS spokesman - a man so secretive we don’t even know what he looks like - issued his first statement in 6 months, calling for revenge attacks in retaliation for those deaths https://t.co/uZSxTz4ICe

— Rukmini Callimachi (@rcallimachi) March 19, 2019

Callimachi wrote that al-Muhajir is so self-conscious about guarding his identity and whereabouts that he not only never uses a phone, but he does not allow anybody in a room with him to have a phone.

“A message of advice from the caliph of the believers regarding communication devices: Be careful, careful of communication devices — even if it slows down work from two days to seven days,” al-Muhajir said in the recording.

The video follows the gruesome murders of 50 people at Al Noor Mosque and Linwood Mosque in the normally quiet New Zealand city on Friday.

Brenton Tarrant is accused of a terror attack in Christchurch on Friday. Picture: Mark Mitchell/AAP

Brenton Tarrant, 28, stormed the mosques and fired on worshippers during the regularly-scheduled Friday Muslim prayer. The Australian man filmed the attack, which was livestreamed via Facebook.

He wrote a rambling 73-page manifesto that he sent to prominent figures, including Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

He has been charged with murder but more charges will follow. He is being kept in a maximum-security prison ahead of his next court appearance on April 5.

The Islamic State recording did not only mention New Zealand. It referred to Donald Trump and the spiritual leader of the terror group, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

Callimachi wrote that al-Muhajir mentions al-Baghdadi in a way that indicates he is still alive.

A police officer stands guard in front of the Al Noor mosque in Christchurch. Picture: Vincent Yu/AP

The news of the recording comes as New Zealand mourns. Ms Ardern, who returns to Christchurch today, said yesterday that her thoughts — and her words — will be reserved for those grieving the dead and she will never “speak his name”.

“He sought many things from his act of terror but one was notoriety, that is why you will never hear me mention his name,” she said.

“He is a terrorist. He is a criminal. He is an extremist. But he will, when I speak, be nameless.

“And to others, I implore you — speak the names of those who were lost rather than the name of the man who took them. He may have sought notoriety but we, in New Zealand, will give nothing — not even his name.”

A mourner prays near the Linwood mosque. Picture: Mark Baker/AP

ARDERN’S SPECIAL REQUEST FROM STUDENTS

Prime Minister Ardern has returned to Christchurch to meet with those affected by Friday’s massacre.

She attended Cashmere High School where Sayyad Milne and 16-year-old Hamza Mustafa went before their young lives were tragically ended at the hands of Brenton Tarrant. A third Cashmere student, Mustafa’s 13-year-old brother Zaed, is recovering from gunshot wounds to his leg.

Ms Ardern hugged students and urged them to help her rid New Zealand of racism and extremism.

“Now, the Muslim faith is a faith where, particularly for women, you can see the expression of their faith,” she said.

“So, some worry about whether or not they will be able to continue to have that expression and feel safe in New Zealand. I know every single one of you right now, just as much as me, want to do nothing more than to ensure that people feel safe.

“They feel like they can practise their religion, no matter what it is. No matter what their background. And this is where I have something I can ask of you.

New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern met with students at a high school visit in Christchurch today. Picture: Vincent Thian/AP

She asked students to help her keep New Zealand free from hate. Picture: Vincent Thian/AP

“Feeling safe means feeling free from violence, and there’s lots of things that government can do to make sure people are free from violence, but we’ll do those things. But it’s also making a place where there’s no environment for violence to flourish, where we don’t let racism exist, because racism breeds extremism, breeds some of the things that we unfortunately have had visited upon New Zealand.

“So this is my request. I alone cannot get rid of those things by myself. I need help from every single one of you. And so, if we want to feel like we’re doing something to make a difference, you show the outpourings of love, gather together, send that strong message, look after one another, but also let New Zealand be a place where there’s no tolerance for racism ever, and that’s something we can all do.”

Originally published as Heartbreaking image from first Christchurch massacre burial