King Salman in tweet calls for combating hate speech, terrorism

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman reacting to the attacks on two mosques in New Zealand tweeted that it was a terrorist attack and called on the international community to combat hate speech and terrorism.

The tweet read: “The heinous massacre that targeted worshippers in the mosque in New Zealand is a terrorist act, and it reaffirms the responsibility of the international community in combating hate speech and terrorism that is not condoned by religions or the values of tolerance.”

Earlier, King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had offered their condolences to New Zealand’s Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy and condemned in the strongest terms the terrorist attacks that left at least 49 dead and 20 badly injured in armed assaults on two Christchurch mosques.

King Salman denounced the “heinous criminal act” and expressed heartfelt condolences to the victims’ families, wishing the injured a speedy recovery.

The Saudi Crown Prince in his cable to the Governor-general said he condemned the cowardly act “denounced by all religions, norms and international charters.”

Earlier, Saudi Arabia’s General Secretariat of the Council of Senior Scholars condemned the attacks and said: “We call on the whole world, its countries, as well as its organizations, and its institutions to criminalize all racist rhetoric.”

A gunman broadcast live footage on Facebook of the attack on one mosque in the city of Christchurch, mirroring the carnage played out in video games, after publishing a “manifesto” in which he denounced immigrants, calling them “invaders.”

New Zealand was placed on its highest security threat level, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said, adding that four people taken into custody held extremist views but had not been on any police watchlists.