New Zealand: Christchurch mosque attacks inquest begins

A coronial inquiry into the 2019 terror attacks in which 51 people were killed in the New Zealand city of Christchurch began on Tuesday with a tribute video for those who lost their lives.

The six-week inquiry, overseen by Deputy Chief Coroner Brigitte Windley, will investigate the day's events, including emergency responses, and issues such as the malfunction of an emergency exit at a mosque.

According to the Radio New Zealand, Windley said the inquiry attempts to shed light "to the cause and circumstances of death," and "to look to the future, whether comments or recommendations may be made, to reduce the chances of further deaths in similar circumstances."

What the inquest into the Christchurch terror attack aims to achieve

Windley emphasized that the focus was not on establishing liability or negligence, but rather on holding individuals accountable.

Nearly 5,000 images, 3,000 audio files, and 80 hours of video evidence will be examined by the inquest. More than 600 people are slotted to attend the hearing in-person over the course of the six weeks.

Australian Brenton Tarrant, armed with high-capacity semi-automatic weapons, live-streamed the attacks on the Al Noor mosque and the Linwood Islamic Centre on social media on March 15, 2019. He also published a manifesto online before carrying out the attacks.

Tarrant was sentenced to life imprisonment without parole in August 2020 after admitting to 51 charges of murder, 40 of attempted murder and one of terrorism.

The inquest will also look into if Tarrant might have received any external help to orchestrate the deadly shooting.

What the Christchurch victims' families have said

Maha Galal, spokesperson for the "15 March Whanau Trust" representing the victims' relatives, said in a statement the "paramount concern is to comprehend the truth."

The families of the victims "are united in their pursuit of understanding, seeking clarity on whether their loved ones could have survived," he said.

While the inquiry aims to understand the incident and suggest preventive measures for the future, it cannot impose penalties or offer compensation.

After the attacks, New Zealand initiated major gun reforms and saw the establishment of Christchurch Call, an initiative to tackle terrorist and extremist content online.

ss/rt (dpa, AFP, Reuters)