News
Greg Evans
Aug 26, 2020
Breton Tarrant, the white supremacist who is facing trial for killing 51 people in a terrorist attack in a Mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand in March 2019, is due to be sentenced in court on Thursday.
Tarrant, who had live-streamed the attack and posted a white supremacist manifesto online, has opted not to speak in his defence in the High Court after sacking his defence team in favour of defending himself.
The trial which started on Monday had been subdued but slowly more relatives of the victims of the massacre have addressed Tarrant and strongly expressed their rage.
Ahad Nabi, whose 71-year-old father died during the attack did not hold back during his speech who labelled Tarrant a 'coward' and a 'maggot.' Wearing a NZ Warriors rugby league jersey he said:
You hurt my father, but you never took him away from me – what I mean by this is that you physically hurt but you gifted my father with becoming a martyr. Your actions on that day displayed what a coward you are… you shot at defenceless people… your actions were of gutless character.
There's nothing heroic about shooting people from behind and people not having a chance of defending themselves. I do not forgive you for what you have done. While you are in prison you will come to reality that you are now in hell – and only the fire awaits you.
He continued:
My 71-year-old dad would have broken you in half if you challenged him to a fight. You are weak. A sheep with a wolf's jacket on for only 10 minutes of your whole life. I'm strong and you have made me even stronger.
Nabi, also asked for Tarrant to be put in a "mainstream prison and stop wasting taxpayer" and called him the "scum of the world." He concluded his speech by showing Tarrant his two middle fingers.
Nabi's father, Haji Mohemmed Daoud Nabi, has lived in New Zealand since 1979 having fled war-torn Afghanistan.
Tarrant, an Australian citizen, had originally pleaded not guilty not but in March reversed this and admitted to all the charges against him. Tarrant will learn his fate on Thursday, where under current New Zealand laws he could be given a life sentence with no parole but will have to hear the testimonies of the bereaved before hearing the judges decision.
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