The Islamic University College, Ghana (IUC), has condemned the murder of 50 Muslims at the Al Noor and Lindwood mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, last Friday, March 15, 2019.
The dastardly attack, which occurred during Juma’a Friday (congregational) prayers, left 20 other worshippers injured.
A statement copied to the Ghanaian Times by IUC, said the heinous crime was symptomatic of the consequences of hate, intolerance that have been promoted by sections of the world’s political leadership, especially in the West.
It said, “By turning a blind eye to the mass media covertly and overtly demonising Muslims, they are contributing to the entrenchment of bigotry which eventually produces crimes of this nature”.
The IUC stated that terrorism has no religious background, and described the gesture of people of different faiths and different nationalities, who rallied to the support of their Muslim neighbours and compatriots as a collective demonstration of “our shared humanity”.
It noted that the gunman described himself in an earlier manifesto as “a regular white man”, and proclaimed President Donald Trump as “a symbol of renewed white identity and common purpose”.
The statement indicated that he claimed that he had been motivated by “far-right extremism he saw in the United States to carry out the attack at Al Noor Mosque”.
It said, “We take note of the fact that the media and politicians like the President of the United States of America, Donald Trump, have condemned the attacks. But we would like to point out that these are the same media and the same politicians who have helped spread hatred against Muslims and Islam”.
The IUC said although Facebook was quick to remove a graphic video of the attack, it could not escape culpability in this mass murder, because it had allowed the widespread circulation of earlier posts that had threatened violence against Muslims.
It noted that “as Muslims, we make this statement in full knowledge of the fact that the overwhelming majority of victims of terrorism have been Muslims. And while we mourn the victims of the mass murder at the Al Noor and Lindwood Mosques, and pray to Almighty Allah to forgive their sins and grant them Jannatul Firdaus, and for the wounded to be granted a speedy recovery, one point must be made clear”.
The statement reminded Tarrant and his terrorist ilk that his action would not cow Muslims or slow down the progress of Islam.
BY TIMES REPORTER
