The Turkish president has repeatedly shown video footage of the Christchurch mosque shooting. New Zealand's deputy prime minister discussed the screenings with Erdogan at an emergency summit of Muslim nations.
New Zealand Foreign Minister Peters and Erdogan met on the sidelines of an emergency executive meeting of the 57-member Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Istanbul.
Peters said he did not speak about the footage with Erdogan because he wasn't aware of the president screening it anymore.
He added that initial "misinterpretations" had been cleared up in the meeting.
Earlier, Peters said the suspected shooter would "spend the rest of his life" in prison and that New Zealand would ensure the security of its Muslim population.
In a speech to OIC delegates, Erdogan praised New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern for her reaction to the attacks.
Christchurch grieves right-wing terror attack
New Zealand and the world reeled from a right-wing mosque massacre on Friday. The terror shooting left behind grievous scenes.
Image: Reuters/H. Nicholls
'There was blood everywhere'
A witness said "there was blood everywhere," after a right-wing terror attack on two New Zealand mosques killed 50 on Friday. Another witness saw a man in black enter the Al Noor mosque during prayers in Christchurch and heard dozens of shots before fleeing, adding that he saw several dead on the scene. As of Friday afternoon 48 people, including children, were being treated for gunshot wounds.
Image: Reuters/SNPA/M. Hunter
Twin attacks target two mosques
Police asked all mosques across New Zealand to close while they hunted those responsible for the twin attacks. Al Noor mosque (above) is approximately 7 kilometers across the city from Linwood Mosque, the site of the second shooting.
Image: Reuters/SNPA/M. Hunter
City on lockdown
Police initially arrested four people, two of them armed, and later charged one with murder. An Australian man, Brenton Tarrant, is alleged to have filmed himself carrying out the shooting and streamed it on social media. A manifesto was also published online, praising white men who had carried out similar massacres. It also called US President Donald Trump a "symbol of renewed white identity."
Image: Reuters
'Atmosphere of fear'
The attacker's stated aim was to "create an atmosphere of fear" and "incite violence" against Muslims. Police said they recovered several guns from the mosques and two explosive devices in two vehicles at the scene. While the suspects were unknown to police, they said the attack appeared to have been well planned. Police were not searching for other suspects, but were on alert
Image: Reuters
Narrow escape as shock spreads
The world reacted in shock. Anger spread in some countries and security was heightened at prayers at this mosque in Bangladesh as news was released that the Bangladeshi cricket team had narrowly escaped the shooting. The players had arrived at one of the mosques as the attack was unfolding when they heard gunshots.
Image: Reuters/M. Ponir Hossain
'One of New Zealand's darkest days'
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern described the attack as terrorism, calling it "one of New Zealand’s darkest days." "Many directly affected by this shooting may be migrants to New Zealand, they may even be refugees here...They are us. The person who has perpetuated this violence against us is not," she said.
Image: Getty Images/M. Tantrum
World in mourning
Friday sermons across the world were dominated by grief and prayers for the lives lost in the attack. Prayers at the Al Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem (here) mourned the victims. Demonstrations in other major cities such as Sydney, Istanbul and London condemned global terror.
Image: picture-alliance/AA/F. Abu Rmeleh
Dismay at 'senseless violence'
Leaders across the world expressed solidarity with the victims and their families, including Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn outside New Zealand House in London. Chancellor Angela Merkel expressed solidarity against "racist hatred," and Foreign Minister Heiko Maas called it an "attack on all of us." Queen Elizabeth was "deeply saddened," while other leaders expressed their outrage at hate speech.
Image: Reuters/H. Nicholls
8 images1 | 8
What happened in Christchurch? Police have charged a 28-year-old Australian citizen with murder for shooting at least 50 people dead at two mosques during Friday prayers. The suspect posted a white supremacist manifesto before the attacks and livestreamed the shooting on social media.
Why has Erdogan showed the footage? The Turkish president screened excerpts of the shooting at rallies for upcoming local elections to denounce Islamophobia. Despite New Zealand's protests, Erdogan again showed footage on Thursday.
Erdogan's other contentious comments: The president has also vowed to make the shooter pay if New Zealand fails to do so and send anti-Muslim Australians "back in coffins" like their grandfathers who had fought against Turkish Ottoman forces in World War I.
Australia's anger subsides: Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison summoned the Turkish ambassador to protest Erdogan's comments, but has since welcomed a "moderation of the president's views."
