What we now know about the attack on two mosques in New Zealand

In Christchurch in New Zealand was this afternoon, local time, two attacks in and near mosques. What we know so far? - An attack took place at the Al Noor Mosque in the centre of the city. The second attack took place in a mosque in Linwood, a suburb in the east of Christchurch. Gunmen opened fire with a machine gun. - The New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern says there are 40 deaths in the attacks on two mosques. Thirty people came to life on Deans Avenue, while in the attack on a mosque in Linwood Avenue, ten people were killed. “This attack can only be seen as a terrorist attack,” said the prime minister. - Four suspects were arrested, three men and one woman, but the police are looking for further to possible accomplices. There is at least two shooters. At least one of the arrested has Australian nationality. - One of the shooters streamde the shooting live and placed shortly before the attack, a manifesto online in which he has his extreme right-wing motive explains. Or this shooter with the arrested is not known. - The area around the mosques was cordoned off, schools were for a long time in "lockdown”, and the population is called to stay inside. The mosques remain closed. - There were several bomauto's been seen in the city. The explosives were made harmless. - New Zealand, that has no experience with terror attacks, the threat level for the country from “low” to “high”. That has premier Ardern confirmed.

Friday afternoon in order to twenty two local time there were messages on firing in the Al Noor mosque in the centre of Christchurch, a city of 350,000 inhabitants, on the south Island of New Zealand, while believers, were busy with the prayer. Armed policemen arrived on the spot and convert the area around the mosque. All government buildings were in “lockdown”. Schools, the town hall, the municipal library and museums were the rest of the afternoon sealed off from the outside world. The population is called to stay inside. Mosques remain closed.

According to eyewitnesses involved a single shooter who have a black helmet and a bullet proof vest wore. He came with a gun to the mosque and shot there till twenty minutes to go. Some people speak of up to 100 shots. In the shooting would have different people to life. There are currently no official figures, but the local media speak of at least thirty dead. At least thirty people were injured to the hospital.

Comment premier: “One of the darkest days ever for New Zealand”

During a press conference speaks to prime minister Jacinda Ardern of “one of the darkest days in the history of New Zealand”. They confirmed the arrest of one suspect, but the police has reasons to believe that there are accomplices in the game. The kloptocht so forth. About the number of victims and further details of the attack, she wants nothing lost because there is still information missing. Meanwhile, four people arrested, three men and a woman.

Ardern says that there is no place in their society for such criminals. For the victims, among them migrants, and perhaps also refugees, however, instead, she emphasizes. There is no difference between them and us. “They are us”, it sounds. “New Zealand is their home. These people would be here, should be safe,” said the premier.