GCSB and Corrections urged to hire experts in alt-right extremism right away

A Kiwi Muslim community leader has called on our spy agencies to hire better experts before there's a repeat of the Christchurch attack.

Fifty-one people died when a gunman opened fire in two mosques in March, in New Zealand's worst-ever mass shooting. 

It was recently revealed the accused has been allowed to communicate with supporters around the world via mail, from his cell in Paremoremo's Auckland Prison. 

Aliya Danzeisen said on Saturday she doesn't have faith in the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) to stop another white supremacist attack.

"They got it wrong in Christchurch. I want people who are in the know who have been getting it right to be advising. They've already admitted that they weren't focusing on them, so they weren't prepared. We want people prepared," she told Newshub Nation.

"They have focused on the Muslim community for years... but they haven't focused on the alt-right. They need to be focusing on them - they need to up-skill really quickly, and they need to get experts who already know what they are doing in, now."

One of the letters, sent to a supporter in Russia, found its way onto the internet. 

"It touches on all the key points of the white nationalist agenda and ideology," right-wing terrorism expert Dr Chris Wilson of the University of Auckland - who's read the whole thing - told Newshub Nation.

"There's misogyny in it, there's talk about the threat to Europe... then most importantly talking about 'a great conflict is coming and you need to prepare to protect your people'. These are the key mobilising emotional points for the white nationalist agenda. For that to go out to a supporter is incredibly dangerous."

Chris Wilson.
Chris Wilson. Photo credit: Newshub Nation

That's because white supremacists often cite previous killers as inspiration for their atrocities. Dr Wilson said there were copycats after Norwegian white supremacist Anders Breivik's rampage in 2011.

"That was when he had communications from prison. When the communications were shut down, those copycat attacks started to die off."

They're now back on the rise, Dr Wilson says, with conflicts in the Muslim world sending waves of refugees towards safer places like Europe. 

Ban all communication?
 

The accused Christchurch gunman has a right to send and receive mail under the law, and Corrections has a right to block it - but only on a case-by-case basis. 

Danzeisen says the alleged mass killer should lose his rights.

"He lost his rights to freedom of movement. He can lose his rights to freedom of communication... he can be shut down... If this had been a Muslim sending out something like this, you know it would have been shut down."

So far he's received 48 pieces of mail. Fourteen of them have been blocked and 18 delivered, with the rest still being examined.

"This is part of him developing a cult following," said Dr Wilson, adding that GCSB and domestic-focused spies should have been brought in to help Corrections screen the mail from the start.

"It's astounding to me if they weren't. If that's not the core of their role, then what is?"

Even letters he writes that don't contain specific calls to action should be blocked, Dr Wilson said, saying extremists on sites like Gab and 4chan will lap them up regardless of their content.

"Not many people are going to focus on the content of the letter - they're quickly going to turn their attention to what he did, his manifesto, and so on. Any letter is giving him oxygen."

Aliya Danzeisen.
Aliya Danzeisen. Photo credit: Newshub Nation

The manifesto was banned by the Chief Censor earlier this year. 

Like the GCSB, Danzeisen is urging Corrections to get experts in alt-right extremism in right away.

"This isn't a place where people should be learning on the job... you need experts. Get them in."

Newshub.