Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News – 15-03-2019
The Imam of the Linwood Masjid in Christchurch, New Zealand that came under a terror attack has told Radio Islam the country is peaceful and he doesn’t understand why the massacre took place.
At least 40 people were killed and 20 others wounded after one gunman – identified as an Australian extremist – apparently livestreaming the assault triggered the lockdown of Christchurch in New Zealand.
New Zealand police detained three men and a woman on Friday after the mass shootings at the Linwood and Al Noor Masjids.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern described the attack as one of New Zealand’s darkest days: “Clearly what has happened here is an extraordinary and unprecedented act of violence.”
Speaking to Radio Islam, Moulana Abdul Latief says the Friday sermon had just been completed for Jumu’ah salaah and he started reading the prayer for the commencement of salaah when the attack happened.
“I heard something like a gunshot and I peeped from the window and I saw it was just in front of the masjid a person dressed like an army and a policeman. I looked down and one or two of our brothers are gone and a sister on the floor. So I said our people are being killed, brothers are being killed outside, go down, go down!!!”
Ml Latief says the attacker than entered the masjid and started shooting worshipers randomly inside.
“One of our brothers, he’s from Afghanistan, he went outside and hid somewhere and jumped on the shooter and took the gun away from the shooter and the gunman ran away. The brothers then called the police who then came.”
Meanwhile the Jamiatul Ulama South Africa has condemned the attacks saying the level of hate and terror is believed to be formented by Islamophobic rhetoric normalized and ratcheted in recent times by supposedly responsible leaders in position of power and influence.
Listen to the interview with Ml Latief
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