MI5 investigates accused Christchurch mass shooter Brenton Tarrant

Brenton Tarrant is being investigated over possible links to right-wing extremists in Britain after threat to London’s Muslim mayor.

Turkish broadcaster TRT World has aired CCTV footage of a man it claims is Brenton Tarrant entering the country in 2016 on a trip now under investigation.

A white supremacist who led a gun attack on mosques in New Zealand in which at least 49 people were killed is being investigated over possible links to right-wing extremists in Britain.

Shortly before the killings Brenton Tarrant published a “manifesto” in which he said that he had been inspired by Islamophobic attacks in Britain, including the attack on Finsbury Park Mosque in London.

MI5 is now leading the inquiry into the terrorist’s links in Britain after he called for his followers to kill Sadiq Khan, the Muslim mayor of London.

Tarrant, 28, who appeared in court yesterday, broadcast his attack live on social media. He began by shouting: “This is for Europe.”

He shot dead 41 worshippers at Al Noor Mosque in central Christchurch. Eight others were killed at the Linwood mosque about two miles away. Police said it was unclear whether the same gunman was involved.

A further 48 worshippers were wounded with 20 described as being in a critical condition in hospital. One of the critically injured is a boy aged four.

The footage showed Tarrant carrying a shotgun and two fully automatic military assault rifles, with an extra magazine taped to one of the weapons. It included a harrowing two minutes as he fired at men, women and children from close range. Victims were seen lying on top of each other as he shot them again. As he drove away from the mosque he complained: “There wasn’t even time to aim, there were so many targets.”

One witness, whose clothes were covered with blood, described how the gunman moved methodically from room to room.

Members of the Bangladesh cricket team, who are in Christchurch for the third Test against New Zealand this weekend, were on the way to the mosque when the shooting began.

Scott Morrison, the Australian prime minister, described Tarrant as an “extremist right-wing” terrorist.

Brenton Tarrant makes a hand sign to the camera during his appearance in the Christchurch District Court on Saturday.

A Whitehall source said last night that MI5 was reviewing his 74-page “manifesto”. Tarrant, who describes himself as an “Eco-fascist”, said he was inspired to kill Muslims while travelling in Europe. He professed his admiration for Darren Osborne, the terrorist behind the Finsbury Park attack in 2017, and said that the British fascist leader Sir Oswald Mosley was the “person from history closest to my own beliefs”.

Mr Khan was named as one of three “high-profile enemies” whom Tarrant wanted killed. The words “For Rotherham” were written on an ammunition clip, in a reference to the sex-grooming scandal masterminded by predominantly Muslim men, and he highlighted other cases as examples of the “rape of British women by the invading force”.

Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu, head of counterterrorism at Scotland Yard, said that there was “no intelligence linking these appalling events to the UK” but added that patrols were being increased at mosques.

Harun Khan, secretary-general of the Muslim Council of Britain, called on the government to ensure that mosques were protected “in the face of unabated Islamophobia and hostility against Muslims”. Sajid Javid, the home secretary, is due to hold talks with anti-terrorism chiefs to discuss possible further measures to protect mosques.

Tarrant was arrested after armed police rammed his car. Two other men and a woman were also arrested, but one of them was later released.

Jacinda Ardern, New Zealand’s prime minister, described the attack as one of the country’s darkest days and said after a meeting of defence officials that it appeared to have been well planned.

The Queen joined world leaders in sending messages to New Zealand, saying she had been “deeply saddened by the appalling events”.

Theresa May said that Britain stood “shoulder to shoulder” with New Zealand. She added: “There can be no place in our societies for the vile ideology that drives and incites hatred and fear.”

By Bernard Lagan in Sydney, and David Brown, Fariha Karim, and John Simpson in London

- The Times