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| Christchurch shootings: Brenton Tarrant pleads guilty to 51 murders | Christchurch shootings: Brenton Tarrant pleads guilty to 51 murders |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A man accused of deadly attacks on mosques in the New Zealand city of Christchurch a year ago has pleaded guilty to 51 charges of murder. | A man accused of deadly attacks on mosques in the New Zealand city of Christchurch a year ago has pleaded guilty to 51 charges of murder. |
| Brenton Tarrant, 29, also admitted the attempted murder of another 40 people, and one terrorism charge. | Brenton Tarrant, 29, also admitted the attempted murder of another 40 people, and one terrorism charge. |
| He had previously denied the charges and was due to go on trial in June. | He had previously denied the charges and was due to go on trial in June. |
| The gun attacks at two mosques sent shockwaves around the world. In the wake of the killings, New Zealand brought in stricter gun laws. | The gun attacks at two mosques sent shockwaves around the world. In the wake of the killings, New Zealand brought in stricter gun laws. |
| New Zealand is in a state of lockdown due to the coronavirus outbreak and the plea was made at a scaled-down court hearing in Christchurch High Court on Thursday. | New Zealand is in a state of lockdown due to the coronavirus outbreak and the plea was made at a scaled-down court hearing in Christchurch High Court on Thursday. |
| No members of the public were allowed in to the hearing and Tarrant, from New South Wales, Australia, and his lawyers appeared via video link. | No members of the public were allowed in to the hearing and Tarrant, from New South Wales, Australia, and his lawyers appeared via video link. |
| A representative of the two mosques that were attacked was allowed to attend the hearing to represent the victims and their families. | A representative of the two mosques that were attacked was allowed to attend the hearing to represent the victims and their families. |
| Judge Justice Cameron Mander said: "It is regrettable that the Covid-19 restrictions that presently apply do not permit victims and their families to travel to be present in the courtroom when the defendant entered his pleas of guilty." | |
| Sentencing on the 92 charges will take place at a date yet to be set. Tarrant was remanded in custody until 1 May when the court hopes to be able to set a sentencing date. | |
| Justice Mander added: "There is no intention to sentence the defendant before the court returns to its normal operations and at a time when the victims and their families can attend court in person." | |
| Farid Ahmed, who lost his wife Husna in the attack on Al Noor Mosque (Masjid An-Nur), told TVNZ that many would be relieved they did not have to go through the trial, but others would feel very sad, still thinking about their loved ones. | Farid Ahmed, who lost his wife Husna in the attack on Al Noor Mosque (Masjid An-Nur), told TVNZ that many would be relieved they did not have to go through the trial, but others would feel very sad, still thinking about their loved ones. |
| Speaking of the gunman, he said: "I have been praying for him and he has taken the right direction. I am pleased he is feeling guilty, it is a good start." | Speaking of the gunman, he said: "I have been praying for him and he has taken the right direction. I am pleased he is feeling guilty, it is a good start." |
| Surprise guilty plea avoids painful trial | |
| Analysis by Simon Atkinson, BBC News | |
| Minutes after Brenton Tarrant changed his plea, families of mosque attack victims began finding out on the rumour mill. | |
| And to everyone it seems to have been a huge shock and surprise. | |
| I was in Christchurch just a couple of weeks ago for the first anniversary of the attacks. The trial looming in early June was something many told me they were dreading. | |
| Witnesses being forced to revisit what happened; graphic CCTV and the head-mounted camera of the attacker being played frame by frame. | |
| But a few said they were - in a way - looking forward to it, to seeing justice being done. It gave them a focus. | |
| One father told me he had learned that his son's actions in Al Noor Mosque had been heroic. He had wanted to see and hear that in court for himself - and for the world to see and hear it. | |
| People like him will no longer have the opportunity to get that level of detail to what happened to their loved ones. | |
| And, because of the Covid-19 lockdown, they did not even get the chance to hear the guilty pleas in person. | |
| But not having a trial takes away one real fear: that Tarrant would use the occasion as a platform to push his right-wing agenda of hate, something the justice system, the media and most importantly the Muslim community were desperate to avoid. | |
| How did the attacks unfold? | How did the attacks unfold? |
| The shootings on 15 March 2019 began when the gunman drove to the Al Noor mosque in Christchurch, entered the building and began shooting. | The shootings on 15 March 2019 began when the gunman drove to the Al Noor mosque in Christchurch, entered the building and began shooting. |
| Less than 30 seconds later, he returned to his car, picked up another weapon, then re-entered the mosque and resumed his attack. | Less than 30 seconds later, he returned to his car, picked up another weapon, then re-entered the mosque and resumed his attack. |
| Footage from a headcam he was wearing showed him pass from room to room, killing as he went. The shootings were broadcast on Facebook Live. | Footage from a headcam he was wearing showed him pass from room to room, killing as he went. The shootings were broadcast on Facebook Live. |
| He then drove to the Linwood mosque where he shot two people outside and then shot at the windows. | He then drove to the Linwood mosque where he shot two people outside and then shot at the windows. |
| A man from inside the mosque came outside, picked up one of the attacker's shotguns, and chased him away. | A man from inside the mosque came outside, picked up one of the attacker's shotguns, and chased him away. |
| Two police officers then chased and arrested the suspect. | Two police officers then chased and arrested the suspect. |
| More on the Christchurch attacks | More on the Christchurch attacks |
| What was the aftermath of the attacks? | What was the aftermath of the attacks? |
| Speaking on the first anniversary of the massacre, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said New Zealand had "fundamentally changed" because of the attacks. | Speaking on the first anniversary of the massacre, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said New Zealand had "fundamentally changed" because of the attacks. |
| She acknowledged that "much more" needed to be done to stop radicalisation in the country. | She acknowledged that "much more" needed to be done to stop radicalisation in the country. |
| "The challenge for us will be ensuring in our everyday actions, and every opportunity where we see bullying, harassment, racism, discrimination, calling it out as a nation," she said. | "The challenge for us will be ensuring in our everyday actions, and every opportunity where we see bullying, harassment, racism, discrimination, calling it out as a nation," she said. |
| "That is when we'll show we each individually have a role to play in making sure that New Zealand has changed fundamentally for the better." | "That is when we'll show we each individually have a role to play in making sure that New Zealand has changed fundamentally for the better." |
| Immediately after the attacks, Ms Ardern said the government would bring in laws to make it harder for New Zealanders to access firearms. | Immediately after the attacks, Ms Ardern said the government would bring in laws to make it harder for New Zealanders to access firearms. |
| In April, less than a month after the shootings, parliament voted by 119 to 1 to change the gun laws. | In April, less than a month after the shootings, parliament voted by 119 to 1 to change the gun laws. |
| Military-style semi-automatic weapons were banned, as were parts that could be used to build prohibited firearms. | Military-style semi-automatic weapons were banned, as were parts that could be used to build prohibited firearms. |
| In June, a buy-back scheme began, where the government would compensate owners of newly-illegal weapons. | In June, a buy-back scheme began, where the government would compensate owners of newly-illegal weapons. |