The gunman behind the New Zealand mosque shooting has been revealed has a supported of US President, Donald Trump. The Trump-supporting white supremacist who launched a massacre at a New Zealand mosque revealed that he hoped to spark a ‘civil war in the U.S.’ in his sick manifesto and described the American president as a ‘symbol of renewed white identity’.
The gunman, who identified himself on Twitter as Brenton Tarrant from Grafton, New South Wales, Australia, livestreamed the mass shooting inside the Al Noor Mosque. Tarrant posted a 74-page manifesto explaining the reasons behind the shooting, which is New Zealand’s worst ever terrorist attack, leaving 49 dead and 48 injured. In the document, Tarrant said that he supported President Donald Trump as a ‘symbol of renewed white identity and common purpose’ but not as a ‘policy maker’. 
The 28-year-old terrorist claimed he chose to use a gun over other weapons because it would spark a debate around the second amendment. Tarrant added: ‘With enough pressure the left wing within the United States will seek to abolish the second amendment, and the right wing within the U.S. will see this as an attack on their very freedom and liberty. This attempted abolishment (sic) of rights by the left will result in a dramatic polarization of the people in the United States and eventually a fracturing of the US along cultural and racial lines.’ Tarrant wrote that by using guns to commit the attack, it would fuel the debate over firearms in the US and lead to them being banned.
His hope was that this in turn would spark a civil war and that ‘eventually’, it would lead to ‘the balkanization of the US’.  He went on to say: ‘Meanwhile the 10,000-ton boulder of demographic change rolls ever forward, gaining momentum and possibly destroying all in its path. Eventually, when the white population of the USA realizes the truth of the situation, war will erupt.’
Tarrant launched the attack at Al Noor Mosque in Christchurch on the country’s South Island at about 1.30pm as Friday prayers were underway. At about the same time, what appears to be a second shooter opened fire at at mosque in Linwood, which is within 10km of the first attack.
Early reports indicated a shooting at Christchurch Hospital. However, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the mosques were the lone targets. She did confirm multiple bombs were attached to two cars belonging to the suspects near the mosque. The explosives were disarmed before they could detonate.
Photo Credit: Getty
