New Zealand massacre suspect appears in court

By Recep Sakar</p> <p>MELBOURNE (AA) – The man accused of carrying out last month’s terrorist attacks on two New Zealand mosques appeared Friday for a hearing at the Christchurch High Court.</p> <p>The suspect, Australian-born Brenton Tarrant, appeared via video link from Auckland’s Paremoremo Prison, New Zealand’s only maximum-security prison.</p> <p>Tarrant, 28, was charged with 50 counts of murder and 39 counts of attempted murder.</p> <p>Justice Cameron Mander ordered that Tarrant undergo two mental health assessments to determine whether he is fit to stand trial.</p> <p>Mander said the tests are a normal step and there is no other reason behind them.</p> <p>He will be remanded in custody until the next hearing on June 14.</p> <p>At least 50 Muslim worshippers were massacred and as many injured in an alleged white supremacist terror attack by a man on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand on March 15.</p> <p>*Writing by Gozde Bayar</p> <p>