Berrin Alparslan and Cemal Coskun
16 March 2019•Update: 17 March 2019
TEKIRDAG, Turkey
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday urged New Zealand to bring the culprits of Friday's twin mosque attacks to account, describing the incident as a "massacre".
Addressing a rally in northwestern Tekirdag province, Erdogan blasted the gunman who killed worshippers and named Istanbul in an alleged manifesto, spewing anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant propaganda, posted on social media.
“He came to Istanbul for three days once and 40 days for the second time. What are his connections? We will find out.
“He talked nonsense by saying ‘we will kill you if you cross west of the Strait, we will come to Istanbul and destroy all the mosques and minarets' in his manifesto that he left. […] Where is New Zealand and where is Turkey?” he asked.
“How can a murderer on the other end of world act with such ill-will against Muslims and Turks,” Erdogan said, referring to the New Zealand attacker.
The president also noted that the terrorist adorned his gun with names of all the known enemies of Turks and Muslims since the second Siege of Vienne (1683), including tyrants of the Crusades.
He went on to say that the terrorist who slaughtered Muslims in the mosques in New Zealand was disturbed by the unity and values of the Turkish nation.
At least 49 people were killed as a gunman identified as Brenton Harrison Tarrant, 28, opened fire on worshippers during Friday prayers at the Al Noor and Linwood mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand.
Writing by Nilay Kar
