Man Admits Posting Threats Online about Terror Attack on Christchurch Mosques
The man, who currently has interim name suppression, pleaded guilty to a charge of threatening to kill and a representative charge of distribution of objectionable material when he appeared in the Christchurch District Court earlier this month.
He had initially pleaded not guilty to the charges during one of his earlier court appearances.
The man was arrested on the evening of March 4 after making a series of posts on the anonymous online message board 4chan.
Police received information through the Crimestoppers tip line on March 2 about a series of posts on 4chan, an anonymous online message board frequented by far-right individuals. The posts had been made two days earlier.
Shortly after the defendant’s arrest, Canterbury district commander Superintendent John Price said: “This type of behavior has no place in the fabric of our society and we ask that as a community we all speak up and call this behavior out, because everyone has a right to be safe and feel safe.”
Judge Alistair Garland refused the defendant’s application for continued name suppression at a hearing in early August after Stuff, along with other media entities, opposed the application.
However, the man’s lawyer, Anselm Williams, immediately appealed the decision.
An appeal hearing would be heard in the High Court later this week.
Source: stuff.co.nz
