Royal Commission begins Christchurch attacks probe

A Royal Commission of Inquiry on Monday began itsinvestigation into the March 15 Christchurch terror attacks that left 51 peopledead in two mosques, a New Zealand government spokesperson has confirmed.

The special commission, which is chaired by Supreme CourtJustice Sir William Young along with Jacquie Caine, New Zealand’s formerAmbassador to Chile, will now establish how the investigation will beconducted, Efe news quoted the spokesperson as saying.

   

“They have the powers to call people to appear beforethem,” said the spokesperson. “They have the ability to look througha lot of material, and their powers are very broad.”

“We want them to leave no stone unturned.”

The commission, which was set up on April 8, will look intothe activities of the alleged Australian gunman, Brenton Tarrant before andafter his arrival in New Zealand, his travels and how he obtained weapons andammunition.

Tarrant, who had no police record, is charged with attackingthe two mosques armed with military weapons and shooting at worshippersgathered for the Friday prayers while broadcasting the massacre live on socialmedia.

The commission will also investigate the social networkingactivities of Tarrant, an former fitness trainer now facing 50 charges ofmurder and 39 for attempted murder, in addition to his national andinternational connections.

One of the key tasks will be to scrutinise the role playedby New Zealand’s Security Intelligence Service, the Government CommunicationsSecurity Bureau, Police, Customs, Immigration and any other relevant departmentof the government.

The commission will have to submit its conclusions byDecember 10.

On its website, the commission says its “purpose is toreassure the New Zealand public, including all Muslim communities, that allreasonable measures are being taken by State sector agencies to ensure theirsafety and protection”.

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