A royal commission will now be held into whether New Zealand authorities could have prevented the terror attack on mosques that killed 50 people earlier this month
While the government last week promised a probe would be held, Ardern on Monday confirmed it would be a royal commission - the most serious form of investigation possible into failures of government.
"While New Zealanders and Muslim communities around the world are both grieving and showing compassion, they are also quite rightly asking about how this terror attack was able to happen here," she said in Wellington on Monday.New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has said there will be a royal commission into the circumstances leading to the Christchurch massacre.Intelligence agencies, police, customs and the immigration department will all be subject to investigation.
New Zealand's two spy agencies have both confirmed they were not keeping tabs on Tarrant. They last week welcomed an investigation. The minister in charge of New Zealand intelligence departments, Andrew Little, has denied suggestions authorities had not paid enough attention to far-right extremists and said an increased focus had been put on alt-right and white supremacy over the past year.
Ardern said the commission would look into whether the resources of spies had been directed in the right direction.Tarrant is known to have participated on internet forums populated by right-wing extremists and foreshadowed the attack online, posting a rambling 74-page "manifesto".Currently charged with one count of murder, he is expected to face more charges when he returns to court next week.
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