Christchurch anniversary: Teen ‘planned mosque attacks’ in Singapore

SINGAPORE: A Singaporean teenager planned to attack two mosques in the city-state on the anniversary of a massacre of Muslim worshippers in New Zealand, authorities said on Wednesday.

The 16-year-old — picked up in December — made “detailed plans and preparations” to mount the attacks using a machete on March 15, two years after a shooting rampage in Christchurch by Australian white supremacist Brenton Tarrant, security officials said.

Tarrant was last year sentenced to life in prison without parole after killing 51 worshippers in the attacks on two mosques during Friday prayers.

“It was clear from the attack plans and preparations that this youth was influenced by Tarrant’s actions and manifesto,” Singapore’s internal security department said in a statement.

The male student had prepared statements to be released before the attacks, one of which “borrowed heavily from Tarrant’s manifesto”, they said. One described the New Zealand long-wolf gunman as a “saint” and the Christchurch attacks as “justifiable”.