Christchurch mosque massacre: book faults official inquiry
Authors argue Australian gunman's years of online activity and far-right network ties warranted scrutiny before 2019 attacks that killed 51 Muslim worshippers
CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand (MNTV) – A new book on the 2019 Christchurch mosque attacks questions whether authorities investigated warning signs before the massacre that killed 51 Muslim worshippers at Masjid al-Noor and the Linwood Islamic Centre.
In “He Told Us,” authors Chris Wilson and Michal Dziwulski challenge New Zealand’s royal commission, arguing that the Australian gunman’s online activity and apparent ties to white-supremacist networks warranted greater scrutiny before the March 15, 2019, attacks, the outlet Inside Story reported.
They dispute the commission’s finding that the attacker was an isolated individual who could not have been stopped except by chance, noting that an early briefing proposed examining what agencies “knew or should have known,” while the final terms of reference narrowed that to what they actually knew.
The book also questions whether the commissioners had enough expertise in far-right extremism, and identifies years of posts on platforms including 4chan, 8chan and Gab that it attributes to the gunman, pointing to an international network that traded extremist memes and celebrated past mass violence.
The authors highlight his apparent Australian connections — including links they believe he formed with far-right groups such as the United Patriots Front, True Blue Crew and Lads Society — and fault the inquiry’s handling of his offline activity and a missing computer hard drive.
Alongside its critique, “He Told Us” works to preserve the memory of those killed, among them Abdelfattah Qasem, a Palestinian who settled in New Zealand, worked as an interpreter for migrants and ran a small farm before he was killed at Friday prayers.
The book closes with the names of all 51 victims, and examines how the attack has influenced later far-right violence by attackers who admired the gunman.
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