New Zealand shooting: Ahmed Bhamji spouts hate speech, blaming the Jews, Israel for terrorist attack
Last Saturday, at a rally for the victims of the Christchurch massacre in New Zealand, Ahmed Bhamji, chairman of the Mount Roskill Masjid E Umar, which is associated with The Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand attacked those he believes are “behind” the attack: Jews and Israel.
photo/ John Hain
“I really want to say one thing today. Do you think this guy was alone? … I want to ask you, where did he get the funding from? I will not mince words. I stand here and I say I have very, very strong suspicion that there is some group behind him and I am not afraid to say I feel that Mossad is behind this.”
Someone in the crowd shouted, “It’s the truth! Israel is behind this. That’s right!”
According to Newshub, Bhamji also said the gunman was funded by “Zionist business.”
The local Jewish community responded with outrage as New Zealand Jewish Council spokesperson Juliet Moses told Newshub, “These conspiracy theories are dangerous lies. They put the Jewish community at risk, at a time of heightened security concerns. Conspiracy theories — particularly the idea that Jews (whether through the Jewish state or otherwise) are a malevolent controlling force in the world — are at the very core of anti-Semitism.”
Joe Carolan told Newshub that Bhamji was only one of 30 speakers and different perspectives were offered at the rally, defending the event, stating that he told Newshub he personally did not believe that Jews were behind the massacre.
Moses said that was no excuse for not publicly denouncing Bhamji’s vitriol, asserting, “It is unfortunate that they did not appear to put its anti-racism message into practice, by challenging or condemning the racism in their midst. We must call out hateful dehumanizing language, whatever the source, target and circumstances, and even when it is not politically expedient to do so.”
Bhamji doubled down on his rhetoric and claimed he was being targeted, saying, “I made a statement, a lot of other people made statements,” adding that there should be an investigation of how the gunman financed his action, snapping, “Mossad is up to all these things. When I talk about Mossad, why should the Jews be upset about it? Give me an answer?”
