CHRISTCHURCH
New Zealand Reassesses Counterterrorism PostChristchurch Secrecy about counterterrorism approaches across government agencies and a lack of transparency to the public had consequences for situational awareness, writes Security Management magazine’s Claire Meyer.
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26 November 2020
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Almost two years later in December 2020, the commission’s report was released, calling out failings, intelligence gaps, and unbalanced priorities that led agencies to miss potential signs of an attack. The nearly 800-page report found that New Zealand’s national security agencies had spent an “inappropriate” amount of time focusing on Islamist terror threats in the months leading up to the attack. Researchers also dug into the life and background of the shooter, finding that he displayed racist behaviour from a young age, and his life experience fuelled his resentment and eventual radicalisation. He had no close friends, largely avoided social situations, and was financially independent. Tarrant was able to largely stay below the radar, however, and while the report called out lapses in firearms licensing and intelligence efforts, it noted that “no single aspect of [the shooter’s
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Volume 1: Parts 1–3
Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the terrorist attack on Christchurch masjidain on 15 March 2019
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Claire Meyer joined Security Management in 2019 as its managing editor. She has been covering the security industry since 2012, regularly reporting on issues affecting security leaders today, including cybersecurity, leadership, security technology and trends. She graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a bachelor’s in journalism and minors in French and fine arts.
Volume 1: Parts 1–3
New Zealand faced a nationwide reckoning after right-wing extremist Brenton Tarrant amassed an arsenal of weapons and carried out deadly attacks on two mosques in Christchurch in March 2019, killing 51 people. Just 10 days after the attack, the government established a Royal Commission of Inquiry to investigate what happened.
ROYAL COMMISSION OF INQUIRY INTO THE TERRORIST ATTACK ON CHRISTCHURCH MOSQUES ON 15 MARCH 2019 TE KŌMIHANA UIUI A TE WHAKAEKE KAIWHAKATUMA I NGĀ WHARE KŌRANA O ŌTAUTAHI I TE 15 O POUTŪ-TE-RANGI 2019
26 November 2020
background] could have alerted Public sector agencies to an impending terrorist attack.” The assailant’s undetected radicalisation has raised red flags for intelligence and security professionals worldwide, many of whom note that increasing polarization and vitriolic rhetoric from political extremists spikes in times of isolation, stress, and economic troubles—such as during pandemic lockdowns. “Right-wing extremist rhetoric does many things. It often pits elites against the ordinary people in ways that place blame for economic troubles squarely on the shoulders of governments,” said
April/May 2021
