Major update after alleged ‘Christchurch 2.0’ threat sparked mass shooting panic against Muslims in Sydney

A teen from Western Australia has been arrested after a newly opened mosque on the other side of the country received a mass shooting threat.

Detectives attended the Australian Islamic House Masjid in Edmondson Park in south-west Sydney on Tuesday after the mosque found an alleged threat posted on its Instagram page a day earlier.

‘I’m about to christ church [sic] 2.0 this join[t]’ the alleged comment read.

The comment appeared to be in reference to the Al-Noor Mosque massacre in Christchurch, New Zealand on March 15, 2019, where Australian Brenton Tarrant shot dead 51 innocent worshippers.

Western Australia Police arrested a boy, 16, at Eaton in the state’s south-west later on Tuesday afternoon following a referral from their NSW counterparts.

The teen is currently assisting police with inquiries. No charges have yet been laid. 

NSW Police have reassured there are no ongoing threats to the community.

The alleged threat sparked outrage from political and religious leaders as the six year anniversary of the Christchurch mass shooting looms.

The Alliance of Australians for Muslims and The Australian National Imams Council said they were ‘deeply alarmed and profoundly concerned’ for the safety and well-being of Muslims in Sydney following the alleged threat.

‘This threat is both disturbing and heartbreaking, shaking the Muslim community to its core and evoking painful memories of the tragic and brutal Christchurch massacre’, the organisations said in a joint statement.

‘The shadow of this violence now looms even larger over Sydney, heightening fears of further harm and underscoring the urgent need for robust protection of Muslim places of worship and communities across the nation.

Australian Islamic House Masjid opened its doors for the first time last Friday in time for the start of Ramadan. 

‘To threaten a mosque during this blessed month, when worshippers are vulnerable, is not just an attack on individuals—it’s a deliberate act of terror targeting religious freedom and peace, amplified by its timing. 

‘These vile threats come amidst a disturbing rise in violent Islamophobic attacks, which are contributing to a climate of fear and insecurity.’ 

 The mosque will continue to host nightly prayers during Ramadan following consultation with police.

‘We are profoundly concerned by this threat and take it with the utmost seriousness,’  mosque president Mazhar Hadid said.

‘Our community deserves to feel safe and protected, just like any other citizen of this country. 

‘We call on the authorities to treat this matter with the highest urgency and to ensure that all places of worship are safeguarded against such acts of hatred and violence.

‘We also urge the public to remain vigilant and to stand united against Islamophobia and all forms of bigotry.’

Police attached to Strike Force Pearl will increase their presence in the vicinity to ensure the safety of parishioners attending the nightly prayer sessions during Ramadan.

The alleged online threat  appeared under a post celebrating the mosque opening its doors last Friday after ‘decades in the making’. 

The same user wrote other comments under the same post instructing worshippers to ‘leave the country’.

NSW Premier Chris Minns said that anybody caught making racist threats would be met with the ‘full force of the law’.

‘This is very distressing, particularly as Muslims right across the state are participating in prayer during the month of Ramadan,’ he said.

‘The NSW government and NSW Police are taking this very seriously.

‘Racist threats and Islamophobia will not be tolerated and will be met with the full force of the law.’

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.