Tayyip Erdogan calls on New Zealand to restore the death penalty for the gunman who killed 50 people at two Christchurch mosques.
www.abc.net.au
Turkish President Erdogan airs mosque shooting video at rallies, threatens New Zealand, Australia
Updated about 7 hours ago
PHOTO: The Turkish leader has been using clips of the Christchurch attack to denounce Islamophobia during campaign rallies. (AP: Presidential Press Service)
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Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has called on New Zealand to restore the death penalty for the gunman who killed 50 people at two Christchurch mosques, warning that Turkey would make the attacker pay for his act if New Zealand did not.
Key points:
- Mr Erdogan has been campaigning ahead of local elections on March 31
- In his speeches, he has used excerpts of the video taken in the Christchurch attack
- Mr Erdogan said the mosque attacks in New Zealand were part of a global attack on Islam
Australian
Brenton Tarrant, 28, a suspected white supremacist, was
charged with murder on Saturday after a lone gunman opened fire at the two mosques during prayers on Friday.
"You heinously killed 50 of our siblings. You will pay for this," Mr Erdogan told an election rally of thousands in northern Turkey.
"If New Zealand doesn't make you, we know how to make you pay one way or another."
Making reference to Turkey's victory over Australian and New Zealand troops in Gallipoli, the Turkish President threatened that anyone who came to Turkey with anti-Muslim sentiments would be sent back in coffins.
Mr Erdogan has been touring the country ahead of local elections set to take place on March 31, drumming up support for his Islamist-rooted AK Party.
Ignoring widespread criticism, he again showed
excerpts of a video taken by the attacker during the mosque shootings and denounced what he called rising hatred and prejudice against Islam.
He said Turkey was wrong to have abolished the death penalty 15 years ago, and added that New Zealand should make legal arrangements so the Christchurch gunman could face capital punishment.
PHOTO: The attacks took place as Muslims gathered for prayers. (ABC News: Brendan Esposito)
'Your grandparents … returned in caskets'
On Monday, Mr Erdogan spoke at a rally on the Gallipoli peninsula where Ottoman soldiers defeated British-led forces including Australian and New Zealand troops trying to seize the peninsula, a gateway to Istanbul.
He spoke of the mosque attacks in New Zealand as part of a wider attack on Turkey and evidence of a global anti-Muslim sentiment.
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"They are testing us from 16,500 kilometres away, from New Zealand, with the messages they are giving from there," he said. "This isn't an individual act, this is organised."
Mr Erdogan criticised New Zealand and Australia for sending troops to Turkey in the World War I Gallipoli campaign, claiming their motive was anti-Islam-oriented.
"Your grandparents came here … and they returned in caskets," he said. "Have no doubt we will send you back like your grandfathers."
Hundreds of New Zealanders and Australians travel to Canakkale each year for Anzac Day on April 25, to mark the start of the battle of Gallipoli and to commemorate the dead.
Video aired at rally despite criticism
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VIDEO: Christchurch residents bring flowers to pay tribute to the mosque terror attack victims. (ABC News)
Since the attack in Christchurch, Mr Erdogan has been using
clips from the graphic video filmed by the gunman to denounce Islamophobia during campaign rallies.
The video, which was blurred but had clear sounds of automatic gunfire, has been shown to thousands of people at the rallies and aired live on Turkish television, despite efforts by New Zealand to halt its spread.
The video prompted widespread condemnation.
Facebook said it removed 1.5 million versions of the video in the first 24 hours after the attack.
Who is to blame for spreading the Christchurch shooting video?
Untold numbers of people made their own choices: to seek out the footage, to download it, to share it in ways intended to circumvent Facebook and YouTube's censors.
Turkey's main opposition party has also criticised Mr Erdogan for showing the clip "for the sake of [winning] three or five votes" at the elections.
Foreign Minister Winston Peters said Monday that he told his Turkish counterpart that Mr Erdogan's use of the footage in an election campaign was wrong.
"Anything of that nature that misrepresents this country, given that this was a non-New Zealand citizen, imperils the future and safety of the New Zealand people and our people abroad, and that is totally unfair," Mr Peters said.
But Mr Erdogan has continued to air the video and share an extract from the shooter's manifesto during his speeches.
Mr Erdogan's AK Party, which has dominated Turkish politics for more than 16 years, is battling for votes as the economy tips into recession after years of strong growth.
PHOTO: Mr Erdogan has been touring the country ahead of local elections set to take place on March 31. (AP: Burhan Ozbilici)
He has cast the local elections as a "matter of survival" in the face of threats including Kurdish militants, Islamophobia and incidents such as the New Zealand shootings.
A senior Turkish security source said the Australian man accused of the shootings entered Turkey twice in 2016.
Turkish authorities have begun investigating everything from hotel records to camera footage to try to ascertain the reason for his visits, the source said.
ABC/wires
Topics: terrorism,
unrest-conflict-and-war,
world-war-1,
world-politics,
elections,
islam,
turkey,
new-zealand
First posted earlier today at 4:01am
and then Australia's response
Prime Minister Scott Morrison slams Turkey's President and threatens further action for deeply offensive comments besmirching Anzacs.
www.abc.net.au
New Zealand shooting comments spark diplomatic row as Scott Morrison calls in Turkish ambassador
By political reporter
Brett Worthington
Updated about 4 hours ago
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VIDEO: PM doesn't accept ambassador's excuses for Erdogan comments (ABC News)
RELATED STORY: 'We know how to make you pay': Turkish president vows revenge on gunman
RELATED STORY: Australian charged over Christchurch mosque attacks fronts court
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Prime Minister Scott Morrison has slammed Turkey's President and threatened further action for "deeply offensive" comments besmirching Anzacs and threatening violence to Australians and New Zealanders following the Christchurch massacre.
Key points:
- Scott Morrison rejects "excuses" used to defend Turkish President's Christchurch shooting comments
- Tayyip Erdogan warned Australian and NZ citizens who came to Turkey with anti-Muslim sentiments would be sent back in coffins
- The PM threatens further action against Turkey unless the comments are withdrawn
Australia will review its travel advice for Turkey following President Tayyip Erdogan's threats Australians visiting Gallipoli would return in coffins like their grandparents if they came to the country with anti-Muslim sentiment.
Mr Morrison summoned Turkish ambassador Korhan Karakoç to Parliament House this morning, and left the meeting warning he would take further action.
"I do not accept the excuses that have been offered for those comments," Mr Morrison told reporters after his meeting with the ambassador.
Mr Erdogan criticised the Anzacs for their role in the Gallipoli campaign and
threatened to return anyone who came to his country with anti-Islam sentiment back in coffins.
Mr Morrison said he had spoken with Opposition Leader Bill Shorten and would continue to liaise with the New Zealand Government in response to the comments.
He said he wanted the comments withdrawn and the state broadcaster to revoke its "misrepresentation" of Australian policy.
Mr Morrison said failure to do that would prompt further action.
"I will wait to see what the response is from the Turkish Government before taking further action but I can tell you that all options are on the table," he said.
The Government has not released a timeframe for how long it would take to review Australia's travel advisory for visitors to Turkey.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said her Foreign Minister Winston Peters would soon travel to Turkey to "confront" Mr Erdogan about his comments.
"Our Deputy Prime Minister will be confronting those comments in Turkey," Ms Ardern told reporters in Christchurch.
"He is going there to set the record straight, face-to-face."
Leaders denounce 'foolish' and 'unhelpful' remarks
Mr Shorten said Mr Erdogan's comments were foolish.
"Intemperate and regrettable remarks like this only play into the hands of those who seek to divide," he said.
"They do not protect the peace and security of any nation."
PHOTO: The Turkish leader has been using clips of the Christchurch attack to denounce Islamophobia during campaign rallies. (AP: Presidential Press Service)
Mr Erdogan claimed the mosque attacks in New Zealand were part of a wider attack on Turkey and evidence of global anti-Muslim sentiment.
Before speaking with the ambassador, Mr Morrison told the ABC he was "very offended" with Mr Erdogan's remarks.
"I don't find these comments very helpful," he said.
"I don't find them very accurate or truthful as well, because the actions of the Australian and New Zealand government
have been consistent with our values of welcoming and supporting people from all around the world."
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VIDEO: Scott Morrison denounces the Turkish leader's comments (ABC News)
Australian Brenton Tarrant is facing murder charges in New Zealand after a lone gunman opened fire at two mosques during prayers on Friday.
The massacre killed 50 people and left dozens of people injured.
Mr Erdogan, who has been touring the country ahead of local elections later this month, again showed
excerpts of a video taken by the attacker during the mosque shootings and denounced what he called rising hatred and prejudice against Islam.
He criticised New Zealand and Australia for sending troops to Turkey in the World War I Gallipoli campaign, claiming their motive was anti-Islam-oriented.
"Your grandparents came here … and they returned in caskets," he said.
"Have no doubt we will send you back like your grandfathers."
Mr Erdogan said Turkey was wrong to have abolished the death penalty 15 years ago, and added that New Zealand should make legal arrangements so the Christchurch gunman could face capital punishment.
Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume.
Sorry, the video player failed to load.(Error Code: 100001)
VIDEO: Christchurch residents bring flowers to pay tribute to the mosque terror attack victims. (ABC News)
"Australia has denounced, New Zealand has denounced, absolutely and completely, the act of extremist right-wing terrorism, white supremacist terrorism that we saw in New Zealand," Mr Morrison said before meeting with the ambassador.
"We could not have been more forward leaning in offering our great condolence and support to the Muslim community both in New Zealand and in Australia.
"I find the responsibility, in these situations, of all leaders is to take the temperature down on these issues, and I don't intend to seek to escalate that in the response I'm giving today."
Edit (the reason why i thought this deserved its own thread because it is to off topic from for the new zealend massacre)