WELLINGTON, July 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) -A help support organisation for the victims of the Christchurch mosque killings has rejected a donation from a European far-right activist who received the money from the alleged attacker.
The leader of the Austrian branch of Generation Identity, an international far-right nationalist movement, Martin Sellner, told New Zealand’s Newshub on Monday he divided the 1,500 euros he received from Brenton Tarrant and gave half to Christchurch’s Victim Support and half to a cause in Syria.
In an interview, Sellner, whose flat has been raided by the Austrian Office for the Protection of the Constitution and Counterterrorism in June in connection with the investigation into the mosque attacks, said he supported a “peaceful” movement.
“When I really understood the money came from him, I split it,” he told Newshub. “One half went to a project developing a city, a town in Syria, to stop people from fleeing. The other half, I gave to the victim’s fund of the victims of New Zealand.”
The 28-year-old, who is accused of opening fire at two mosques on March 15, last month pleaded not guilty to terrorism as well as 51 murder and 40 attempted murder charges. A trial is scheduled for next May.
Victim Support told local media Stuff it received a donation from “a donor identified as Martin Sellner from a Gmail account”.
A spokeswoman said Victim Support “does not believe it would be appropriate for us to receive this payment” and it would be returned to the donor or donated elsewhere.
“New Zealand law requires us to offer to reimburse the donation before giving it to another cause. Should the donor reject the funds, they will be passed on to a suitable anti-racism charity,” she said.
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