Christchurch mosque shootings: gunman’s assets frozen, considered a ‘terrorist entity’

The government has frozen all assets of the man convicted of the March 15 mass murder and has made support for his activities illegal.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced this afternoon that she has designated Brenton Tarrant as a “terrorist entity.”

“Designating the offender is an important demonstration of New Zealand’s condemnation of terrorism and violent extremism in all its forms,” ​​Ardern said.

This designation means that it is now a crime for anyone to participate in Tarrant’s activities.

“This designation ensures that the offender cannot participate in terrorist financing in the future,” Ardern said.

It also means that all of your assets, like your bank account, have been frozen.

Ardern did not name Tarrant in his statement and will only refer to him as “a terrorist entity.”

He has become the 20th person to be designated as such under New Zealand law.

“We have an obligation to New Zealand and to the wider international community to prevent the financing of terrorist acts,” Ardern said.

The Prime Minister may designate individuals or groups as terrorist entities, with the advice of officials, in accordance with the Suppression of Terrorism Act.

While living in his native Australia, Tarrant had told people that he received a $ 500,000 inheritance when his father died and an investment in cryptocurrency had allowed him to live without having to work.

He had also traveled extensively in Europe, visiting sites where historical battles had taken place.

Special security measures to lock up the mosque gunman will cost taxpayers $ 3.6 million over two years, revealed a Cabinet document released last month.

The cost averages just under $ 4,932 per day, compared to the average cost of $ 302 per day to incarcerate a standard prisoner.