The victims of the Christchurch mosque attacks are foremost in our minds today, and our prayers are for ease in their suffering and peace in their hearts. We hope that the guilty plea by the accused will relieve some of the stress on those most directly affected by the horrific attack.

“While a guilty plea could have been made much earlier, it is important that victims and their families now will not have to deal with the burden of a full court trial,” says Dr Maysoon Salama. “It spares us from any attempt to defend or justify the horrific attacks last year. We will now have to await sentencing later in the year, before this matter can be closed for us.”

The Islamic Women’s Council of New Zealand thanks New Zealanders for their kindness and support over a difficult year. “While we grapple with another threat in COVID-19, New Zealanders are again showing how much we care about each other,” said Dr Salama.

IWCNZ would ask media to show restraint in sharing images or videos of the killer. The protocols agreed on by the media last year should be adhered to.

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