Evidence given by ministers and public sector bosses to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Christchurch terrorist attack will be suppressed for 30 years, including the names of the Dunedin police officers who vetted the terrorist for his gun licence. The commissioners noted that some members of Muslim communities, academics and public sector agencies wanted the inquiry's interview with terrorist Brenton Tarrant to be published. "Some people are frustrated that, by his guilty pleas, the individual avoided a trial at which the reasons for the terrorist attack might have been explored," their minute said. It also included acknowledgements by the terrorist about what he felt were "mistakes" in the way he carried out the terrorist attack - which could be read by potential terrorists as "advice". "I know this will have been a challenging process for whānau, survivors and witnesses of the terrorist attack and I want to acknowledge their engagement," she said in a statement yesterday.

Source: Otago Daily Times November 27, 2020 21:11 UTC