Funeral held for Christchurch shooting victims

By Emel Oz Gozellik

ANKARA (AA) – Just over half of the victims of last week’s Christchurch terrorist attacks were laid to rest on Friday.

Twenty-six worshippers slain in the attacks on two New Zealand mosques found their final resting place at Memorial Park Cemetery.

Thousands of people from across the country attended the ceremony and Friday prayers, honoring all 50 people killed in the attacks, reported the New Zealand Herald.

The youngest victim of the attacks, 3-year-old Mucad Ibrahim, who was separated from his brother and father when the shooting began, was among those laid to rest.

The nation observed two minutes of silence in honor of the terror victims.

On the first Friday following the attack, the call to prayer was also broadcast live on New Zealand television and radio.

Before the Friday prayers, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern quoted the Prophet Muhammad saying in a traditional hadith: "The believers in their mutual kindness, compassion, and sympathy are just like one body. When any part of the body suffers, the whole body feels pain."

"New Zealand mourns with you; we are one," she added.

*Writing by Dilara Hamit