UAE leaders send condolences to NZ's Governor-General for terror attack victims

ABU DHABI: President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan has sent a cable to Dame Patsy Reddy, the Governor-General of New Zealand, expressing his heartfelt condolences and sympathy for the victims of the terror attack on two mosques in New Zealand’s Christchurch city.

Scores of innocent people were killed and injured in the attacks.

In his cable, Sheikh Khalifa has condemned in the strongest possible terms the heinous crime in which many innocent people fell victim while safely and securely performing Friday prayers. The president stressed the need for countering hatred and intolerance, affirming that compassion and coexistence among peoples are the lifeline for humanity from this imminent danger.

The president stressed that terrorism has no religion and that intolerance and extremism are the sources of evil and scourge, while calling from the UAE, a nation of tolerance, the international community to stand united in the face of this black terrorism, blind fanaticism and closed thoughts which kill innocent people every day without any guilt.

Sheikh Khalifa expressed his profound condolences to the families of victims and the friendly people of New Zealand. He also wished a speedy recovery to those injured during the attacks

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, dispatched similar cables of condolences to the governor general and Jacinda Ardern, Prime Minister of New Zealand.

"On a peaceful Friday, and in a mosque, a typical peaceful place of worship, we saw the most heinous of religious hate crimes where 49 worshippers were killed. Our condolences to New Zealand, and to the families of the victims, and to all Muslims in my name and on behalf of my country that is dedicating a full year for promoting tolerance in the world. We express our deepest sorrow and call upon the entire world to thoughtfully consider inculcating interfaith tolerance," Sheikh Mohammed said in his official Twitter account.



WAM