New Zealand security threat level raised to ‘high’

An image grab from TV New Zealand taken on March 15, 2019 shows armed New Zealand special forces arriving outside the mosque following a shooting in Christchurch. – At least one gunman who targeted crowded mosques in the New Zealand city of Christchurch killed a number of people, police said, with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern describing the shooting as “one of New Zealand’s darkest days”. (Photo by Laurent FIEVET / TV New Zealand / AFP)

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand (AFP) — Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said that New Zealand’s threat level had been raised to “high” in response to a deadly terror attack on two mosques in Christchurch.

“We have lifted our threat level from low to high,” Ardern said, adding that three people had been detained who were not on extremist watch lists.

“We have tightened our response from our agencies at the border, at the airports. In fact, at every level, we have a heightened response.”

© Agence France-Presse