As this Christchurch mosque attack inquest begins, one can guarantee that there will be no mention of the Dunedin Mosque video that the manifest tells us inspired Tarrant to carry out this attack in NZ. Likewise there will be silence from the NZ Islamic community on the real causes and motivations because that has been ‘white’-washed with mis-information by the NZ media.
Islamic terror attacks motivated Christchurch attack. Not “white supremacy”. Quran (4:74) says “Let those fight in the way of Allah who sell the life of this world for the other. Whoso fighteth in the way of Allah, be he slain or be he victorious, on him We shall bestow a vast reward.”
It is tragic that the plea of Yahya Cholil Staquf, General Secretary of Nahdlatul Ulama, the world’s largest Muslim organisation, has fallen on deaf ears. Let us remember as this mosque attack inquest begins, the words of Staquf who said that to prevent another Christchurch, Islam must confront the attacks in its name that have radicalised the West.
More than 600 people, including victims’ families, survivors and witnesses queued outside the Christchurch Justice Precinct today to attend a coronial inquest into the deadly mosque shootings.
It comes more than four years after the convicted terrorist and mass murderer gunned down 51 worshippers in Al Noor Mosque and Linwood Mosque on March 15, 2019.
Proceedings were opened with a karakia and a mihi from Mana Whenua Ngai Tuahuriri. Al Noor Mosque Imam Gamal Fouda recited from the Qur’an.
Fouda witnessed the bloodshed at Al Noor Mosque. He was determined to attend the inquest in person, even though he knows it will be retraumatising.
“I hope this will never happen to anyone again and we can learn the lessons,” he told 1News.
“Everything happened in front of me, and if every family lost one or two people, I have lost 51 people in front of me.”
The public gallery in the High Court was full of families and survivors, with two other courtrooms being used to accommodate other attendees.
A further 100 people have registered to watch the hearing online.
As the Inquest was formally opened, the names of the 51 shaheed were read aloud and the sound of people quietly crying could be heard from families in the public gallery.
In her opening remarks, Deputy Chief Coroner Brigitte Windley said: “While each of the 51 were joined together by faith, the events of 15 March has also joined them together in their deaths.”
“But none of them are defined by what happened on 15 March. We must recognise each of them as a unique life that has been lost. That each and every one has left behind loved ones and each and every one has left a gap in our community.”
She explained that the scale of the inquiry is unprecedented in the Coroner’s Court, and that the first phase will cover 10 main issues out of 13.
“This inquiry presents an important and critical opportunity to also look at what we can learn from this atrocity and speak for those who have lost their lives in an effort to protect the living.”
One of those issues is if more could have been done to help victims survive.
“For a great many death was instant or extremely rapid, leaving no question of possible survival. For a small number we need to look at that question more closely,” Windley said.
There are 18 lawyers, representing families, police, St John, Fire and Emergency and Te Whatu Ora.
The Coroner had invited immediate families to provide a glimpse into their loved one’s lives.
“The video we will play in a moment is testament to the unique character of each of these people and the enduring strength of their families’ love for them.”
The coronial inquest into the shootings follows the criminal prosecution of terrorist Brenton Tarrant and a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the attack.
Its aim is to try and answer the questions many still have about what happened on March 15, 2019, says Federation of Islamic Associations chairperson Abdur Razzaq.
“There’s no blame here,” he told Breakfast this morning. “It’s [about] learning the lessons.”
Razzaq said the inquest will finally give people the chance to ask questions.
Because the terrorist admitted his crimes, there was no trial. The Royal Commission of Inquiry also didn’t allow for survivors and the families of the 51 victims to ask questions about what happened that day.
Razzaq said the inquest is “personally important for many people because they’re going to find out what happened to their loved ones”.
He said the major questions those people still have are around the timeline of events on the day of the attacks, the expert medical reports, and what specifically happened to victims.
What will the inquest cover? Coroner Brigitte Windley will oversee the six weeks of public hearings.
The evidence includes nearly 5000 images, 3000 audio files and more than 80 hours of video footage. The 10 issues being covered in this First Phase Inquiry include:
- The events of March 15, 2019, from the beginning of the attacks through to the end of the emergency response
- The response times and entry processes of police and ambulance officers at the two mosques
- The triage and medical response at each mosque
- The steps taken to apprehend the offender
- The role of Christchurch Hospital in responding to the attacks
- The co-ordination between emergency services and first responders
- Whether the offender had assistance from anyone else on the day of the attacks
- The final movements and time of death for each victim, if this is raised by immediate family
- The cause of death for each victim and whether any of those deaths could have been averted had there been an alternative medical triage and/or treatment
- Whether Masjid an-Nur’s emergency exit door in part of the main prayer room failed to function and, if so, why.
