6 appear in court on charges they sent mosque attack images

Six people have appeared in a New Zealand court on charges they illegally redistributed the livestreamed footage of a gunman shooting worshippers at two mosques last month.

Christchurch District Court Judge Stephen O'Driscoll denied bail on Monday to businessman Philip Arps, 44, and an 18-year-old suspect who both were taken into custody last month. The four others are not in custody.

Arps is charged with supplying or distributing objectionable material, which carries a penalty of up to 14 years imprisonment. He is scheduled to next appear in court via video link on April 26.

The 18-year-old suspect is charged with sharing the livestream video and a still image of the Al Noor mosque with the words "target acquired." He will reappear in court on July 31.

Associated Press