Christchurch massacre: There just HAPPENED to be a drill nearby

Global sharpshooters trained in Christchurch as mosque shooting unfolded

Stuff,

19 March, 2019

Thanks to a police training course the same day as the Christchurch terrorist attack, specialist staff from overseas, as well as New Zealand's Defence Force, were on hand to help.

Personnel taking part in the course in the city centre were already wearing their gear when the first 111 call was received at 1.41pm on Friday, March 15. 

Fifty people were killed and dozens more injured in the massacre, which had been timed to coincide with Jumu'ah, a congregational prayer that has Muslims shoulder-to-shoulder in mosques not long after noon each Friday. Fortunately, it also happened to coincide with a gathering of some of the world's best sharpshooters.

Individuals from the police special tactics group (STG), NZDF, Australian and Hong Kong police, were involved in the response, a New Zealand Police spokesperson said. 

Attack 1

Al Noor Mosque
Deans Ave

Attack 2

Linwood Islamic Centre
Linwood Ave

1.30pm: Friday prayers begin at Al Noor Mosque and Linwood Islamic Centre.

HOSPITAL

Shooter's route as seen on video

Livestream video stops

Car stopped by police. Man arrested.

They had "advanced specialist medical first aid training" and were sent to the two scenes — the first, Masjid Al Noor on Dean's Avenue, and the second, Linwood Masjid —  to provide immediate medical assistance. 

They carried firearms, given it was thought armed offenders were at large at that time, and provided first aid to a number of victims "in the most difficult of circumstances". 

New Zealand Special Air Service (NZSAS) soldiers were photographed at the scene wearing plain clothing and balaclavas, armed with sniper rifles. 

One of the SAS's main roles is combating terrorism. That role is activated by the Prime Minister, at the request of the Police Commissioner. 

GETTY IMAGES

Police officers carrying automatic rifles guard the area near Al Noor mosque during a visit by Turkey's Vice-President Fuat Oktay and Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on March 18, 2019 in Christchurch.

NZDF referred requests for comment to NZ Police, who said the commissioner didn't ask for assistance on Friday. But soldiers who were attending the training helped, under police direction.

"We are very grateful for the support these defence personnel provided to both police and the public in a horrific situation," the spokesperson said. "Their actions are a testament to the professionalism, skills, and the inter-agency operability of specialist groups in police and defence."

Police Association president Chris Cahill said he couldn't comment on international forces, but said police across the Asia-Pacific region generally have a close relationship.

The timing of the training course would have helped with a rapid response, he said. "You need a bit of luck sometimes."

The first armed officers arrived at Al Noor mosque six minutes after the callout. The armed offenders squad (AOS) arrived within 10 minutes. Cahill described the response as "outstanding". 

The gunman was arrested 36 minutes after the call, by two officers, both from small towns outside Christchurch, who rammed the alleged shooter's Subaru Outback and dragged him from the car. 

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern praised the officers' actions, saying it was "absolutely" the gunman's intention to continue with his attack.

Police Commissioner Mike Bush said he'd received an "absolutely overwhelming positive response" from the public. "It's been heart-warming, the commentary we're getting about our people. We couldn't be more proud of our people."

EYES RIGHT: SAS SNIPERS EXERCISE UNFOLDS AT SAME TIME AS MOSQUE ATTACK. NZ GOVT PERMIT FOREIGN TROOPS POWER TO SHOOT TO KILL

Postman Productions,

19 March, 2019

Snipers from the New Zealand military, as well as professional snipers from Australia and Asian countries, had been at the Defence Force shooting range at West Melton, west of Chch city. When the massacre unfolded, they solider were “sprung into action” (I think he means deployed) and understood “to have been granted special powers to take up arms” in order to “protect the public”.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12213956

The soldiers were elite force Snipers from the NZDF and “professional special force snipers from Australia and Asian countries”, who had been attending a exercise at the range located 25km from the Mosque (around 20 min drive). SAS solider were photographed on site at the Mosque.

SAS snipers are currently at the center of inquiry following their role into the shooting of civilians which author Nicky Hager has said also extend to shooting of children in Muslim Afghanistan by SAS soldiers supporting US special forces. This follow Nicky Hager John Stephenson book on SAS alleged war crime.

In 2018 Nicky told audience at University of Otago he believed the SAS were trying to establish them selves as the “senior” arm of the New Zealand Defence Force. Hager said if that was allowed to happen it would see New Zealand strategic focus orientated around more paramilitary operations of a shadowy nature associated with serving the defence needs of our larger partner instead of meeting New Zealand’s own defence needs closer to home. When elected Labour gave the ministerial portfolio to Ron Mark of New Zealand First. Ron Marks was an army officer who like to associate his own career with the SAS who worked as a “security consultant” to the sultan of Oman. Mark did attend a SAS selection course – but never actually served in the SAS.

The two police officers who detained the shooter were at a training day, preparing for an event like Friday’s tragedy.

Police Association President Chris Cahill called it a “hell of a coincidence”.

“It points out the value of training.”

The officers were “training” on an “unused floor” at Princess Margaret Hospital on Friday morning. When the shooting began they were still there, but had “firearms” and patrol cars parked outside. They set out on their own initiative to find the gunman immediately, who had already fired on the mosques in Riccarton, and Linwood. Minutes later they saw “a suspicious car” on Brougham Street and rammed it off the road.

No exercise are located on Police and Civil Defence Emergency management site for March 15

A Police, St John staff, Civil Defence was held at St Kevin’s College pupils part of an undertermined large-scale exercise at the Oamaru school on march 5th with a terrorism exercise listed as Operation Resolution is listed for 17th March

The attack took place just as NZ government resumed military relations with Fiji, which has being subject to several coups, led by right wing Christian Taukei movement headed by the Fijian military. The first by Brigadier General Sveti (‘Steve’) Rabuka who like Mike McIlrath, Project Executive: Arms Act Administration & Officer in Charge: Arms Act Service Delivery Group at New Zealand Police (and a territorial solider) who headed the task fore into a New Police firearms administration group, studied at Victoria University Strategic Studies (Sveti doing his thesis in bloodless coups). 

In 2000 Rabuka, a Methodist priest, was a chief negotiator in the Solomon uprising which saw those interest in Solomon’s timber gold and fishing initiate a conflict ignited by ethnic disputes and weapons shipped into the Island through New Zealand with the approval of the US Army.

It related to the 1997 shipment of arms and weapons parts by Century Arms Ltd. A firm which had previously purchased surplus NZ small arms after a bid was made by National MP Ross Meurant on parliamentary letter head. The weapons later ended up being used in the Balkan conflict or sold to Dince Hill Ltd who were later found to be involved in supply UK organised street gangs with 9mm Browning pistols the same as used by the NZ Army.

Meurant the former head of the New Zealand police 1981 Red Squad riot unit went on to work for Russian tax bank Prok, head by former FSB Russian officers Victor and Lariss Shumilov before setting up in 1996 ROC (Right Of Centre) and then carrying our work for Winston Peters during an inquiry into corruption within the fishing industry. Meurant also helped collect donation for Peter’s election in 2004 from the fishing industry and on behalf of Yugoslavian and Croatian New Zealand fishing family’s like Vela, Talleovich and Simovich.https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=3548149

On 6th March 2019, Winston Peters, foreign affairs minister in New Zealand’s Labour Party-led government, used a two-day visit to Fiji late last month to announce measures to bolster Fiji’s military and “take the Fiji-New Zealand relationship to a new level.”

New Zealand will provide Fiji’s military with a “package of support” for “peacekeeping,” leadership development and border security to “combat transnational organised crime.”

On March 13th The New Zealand Government announced it will provide Vanuatu with $US4.7 million in policing support, including the deployment of the three officers to advise the local force. Vanuatu last armed uprising was 1980 when militants were armed by right wing ‘Christians’ who sought to set up a tax haven on the Island.

Presumably that comes out of the 20 billion, over ten years, to be spent on NZ announced by John Key when Gerry Brownlee was minister of defense and embraced by the new Labour government.

According to NZ’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the support will include updating Fiji’s military law, pre-deployment training for Fijian soldiers heading to the Middle East, leadership development and Fijian involvement in military exercises with the NZ Defence Force.

There will also be a focus on building an “enhanced partnership” between the NZ Police and the Fiji Police Force. NZ Police Commissioner Mike Bush will visit Fiji in the coming months.

Australia and New Zealand initially imposed economic and diplomatic sanctions on Fiji following the 2006 coup. The two regional powers were driven by concerns that the regime could destabilise the Pacific and open the way for Beijing. The sanctions backfired, however. Bainimarama countered with a “Look North” policy, receiving economic, diplomatic and military aid from China, Russia and Middle Eastern states. He also encouraged other Pacific island nations to take a more “independent” path.

The Pacific islands Agenda 2030 driven by the UN Food Agricultural Organisation, led under the banner Samoa Pathway economic development program include patron like Michael Fay (Richwhite Investments) includes using Island migrant workers for seasonal horticulture and viticulture work that generally poorly paid and exploitative. 99,903 Pacific workers have been admitted to New Zealand to pick since 2008 Pacific Pathway aims to bring the Pacific Island back into the western sphere. The situation is complicated by China’s own interest in using Agenda 2030 to further economic expansion as the rivals battle for control of the Pacific Island’s fishing, mining, timber and other natural resources.


It come as NZ presents Ms Temata, the first woman of Pacific heritage to head a New Zealand diplomatic post in the Pacific, as High Commissioner to Cook Islands. Temata is a strategic planner and graduate of Victoria University of Wellington a career diplomat with more than 20 years’ experience in development, trade and legal matters and specilist in smart citys and smart phone technology. She was formally the Country Director for the NGO, HOPE worldwide PNG a Christian charity, and the Chief Executive of the PNG Esselars security who sponsor the PNG Defence Force Woman’s Rugby team and contract out to mining firms.

Prior to her appointment by Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters, Ms Temata was the unit manager responsible for Pacific regional trade and values in the Pacific and Development section of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Her father is Tiatoa Temata and mother, Jane Crichton, whose aiga are from the village of Asau in Samoa. She was born and raised in Taranaki and is the seventh of nine children.

Peters has previously criticized Fiji and in 2014 accused New Zealand’s then National Party government of lifting sanctions too soon Peters has changed his tune stating the Fiji elections in that year and in 2018 had allayed his concerns. “The past is the past”

Since 2013, large-scale biennial military exercises in New Zealand, called Operation Southern Katipo, have been explicitly designed to prepare for interventions to restore “order” in Pacific nations brought on by unchecked rise of criminal gangs. The exercises will now involve the Fijian military

These kind of exercise seek to demonize social activism and label anti corporate anti corporate labour control sentiments as ‘global extremist’ or anti climate change.

Peters’ visit to Fiji underlines that the pro TPPA Ardern-led government, despite its “progressive” rhetoric, is a right-wing coalition, brought to power to suppress to consolidate power within the Asia-Pacific region, in alliance with US trade and military industry as China like wise set out to battle for control of strategic territory as both side use Agenda 2030 for their own goals and as a smoke screen for share goal of market dominance.