Senior Sergeant Rob Huys, left, with Saeed Haq and Suhil Musa outside the Islamic centre in Whangārei ahead of the Friday prayers.
Photo / Tania Whyte
Senior Sergeant Rob Huys, left, with Saeed Haq and Suhil Musa outside the Islamic centre in Whangārei ahead of the Friday prayers.
Photo / Tania Whyte
"It's been a relief, justice has been served."
Those were the words of Suhil Musa, the imam of the Northland Muslim Community Charitable Trust that runs the prayer centre in Whangārei, at the life sentence without parole handed down by the High Court to Christchurch gunman Brenton Tarrant this week.
It's the first time in New Zealand's history the sentence has been imposed after the terrorist admitted murdering 51 people and attempted to murder 40 others in March last year, as well as a charge of terrorism.
Police were present at yesterday's prayer meet — the first Friday prayer since Tarrant got sentenced— at the Islamic centre on Porowini Ave in Whangārei.
"No sentence will bring back those who died or take away the pain of those suffering as a result of his actions but at least it brings finality to what has been a very difficult time for a lot of families," Musa said.
"His message was to divide us with the support from others but he failed to achieve his motive. All his actions have done is to unite us and our sincere gratitude goes out to Kiwis for their aroha, kindness, compassion and flowers during our grieving period and to this day."
The Whangārei school teacher said it was tough hearing the victim impact statements in court from a vast number of family members, especially those that moved people to tears.
As Tarrant sat silent throughout the four-day sentencing, the victims and their families of his attack, stood strong and unleashed their feelings towards the 29-year-old Australian.
"There was a young woman who wondered what the last words of her dad were. That was particularly difficult to watch because it brought back memories of what happened," Musa said.
On calls for Tarrant to be deported to his native Australia, Musa said the debate was "pointless" for two reasons.
One, Musa said his deportation depended on the sort of agreement New Zealand has with Australia and secondly, maybe grieving families want Tarrant to serve time in the country where he committed the crime.
Members of the public make their way into the Islamic centre in Whangārei in the weeks following the Christchurch shootings.
Photo / John Stone
Musa thanked individuals, government departments, territorial authorities, and others that supported the Muslim communities in Northland and elsewhere around New Zealand and continued to show compassion and love.
Senior Sergeant Rob Huys spoke to the congregation before the start of yesterday's prayers and reassured local Muslims of police support.
At Tarrant's sentencing, Justice Cameron Mander said the gunman was "empty of any empathy" for his victims and "detached" and appeared entirely self-centred.
The Christchurch mosque killer had his last ever moments in the outside world after his sentencing when was ushered up the loading ramp of an RNZAF Hercules at Christchurch Airport about 8.30pm on Thursday, bound for Auckland Prison at Paremoremo.
