Teen arrested after Al Noor mosque threat a right wing white nationalist loser
Teen arrested after Al Noor mosque threat a right wing white nationalist loser
Sam Brittenden, 19, evaded media outside court.
The teen arrested after a threat on Christchurch's Al Noor mosque is a member of shadowy white nationalist group convicted after making racial slurs on March 15.
Sam Richard Scott Brittenden, 19, was arrested on Wednesday when police executed a search warrant at a Christchurch address. He appeared in the Christchurch District Court on Thursday on an unrelated charge of failing to assist with a search warrant before Judge Tony Couch.
The threat was issued on Sunday night – about two weeks before the anniversary of March 15 – on an encrypted messaging app, accompanied by a photo of a masked man sitting in a car outside the mosque.
Brittenden's duty lawyer Paul Johnson asked for suppression on the grounds further charges were pending, but the application was declined. Brittenden declined to answer a series of questions by media outside court.
Stuff has confirmed through multiple sources he is a member of Action Zealandia – a far-Right white nationalist group that in recent weeks has attempted to gain publicity.
The Masjid Al Noor, in Christchurch. Credit Bruce A.
In June 2019, the ODT reported Brittenden – then a law student at the University of Otago – was arrested after making racial slurs while partying on the streets of Dunedin with other students on March 15.
Police were clearing Castle St when he approached their patrol vehicle and said words to the effect of: "Muslims are not welcome in our country. Go home Muslims."
Brittenden argued he was exercising his freedom of speech and called police "right-wing fascists".
Members of Action Zealandia, a far-right group for losers that begun recruiting for members at the end of July 2019.
He was sentenced in the Dunedin District Court to 125 hours' community work and six months' supervision after pleading guilty to disorderly behaviour.
Brittenden wrote a letter to the court stressing his shame, the ODT reported.
"I want you to know that this moment of drunken anger and utter stupidity is not at all a reflection of my character, but rather a brief moment of chaos," he said.
He told the ODT he absolutely rejected the notion he had any extreme political views.
Brittenden, whose mother and other relatives were in court on Thursday, was remanded on bail with conditions not to enter Hagley Park, and not to use or possess firearms or restricted weapons. He will appear again on March 19.
Activist group Paparoa, which tracks white nationalism and online hate speech, alleges it has evidence of the teenager describing his "group of fascists" in Christchurch.
Brittenden allegedly described the group as growing, and suggested its anti-Semetic antagonising would help publicise it.
"We are deeply concerned about Islamophobia being increasingly normalised and tolerated in New Zealand society," a Paparoa spokesman said.
Stuff has verified the connection with another source.
Action Zealandia began recruiting for members at the end of July 2019. The far-Right group is part of a wider identitarian movement found in Australia, US and Europe, is fearful of "replacement" and holds views which have motivated both the alleged Christchurch and El Paso mass shooters.
Members mostly inhabit online spaces and share photos of themselves, with their faces masked or blurred, holding banners and stickering their message on targets which have recently included the University of Auckland and the signage outside Nelson MP Nick Smith's office.
Also affiliated with the group is a 27-year-old soldier arrested in November for allegedly sharing of military information that threatened the security of New Zealand. The soldier currently awaits military trial.
Police have said they are continuing to gather information about the threat, and were aware some people had shared the image.
Canterbury District Commander Superintendent John Price said the image had been referred to the Chief Censor for consideration as to whether it should be classified as objectionable material.
The image, posted anonymously on the encrypted messaging app Telegram, showed a man wearing dark sunglasses and a balaclava printed with an image of a human skull.
Through a car window, the front of the Al Noor mosque can be seen with some people in the entrance.
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