UK media criticised for failing to call NZ massacre as terror attack

UK's well-known broadcasting corporation BBC and Daily Mirror came under fire after they failed to call the New Zealand massacre as terror attacks.

A terrorist attack on two New Zealand mosques took the lives of 50 worshippers on Friday and left dozens more wounded after a white supremacist opened fire and live-streamed the shootings.

BBC was unable to name the Christchurch mosque attacks as "terror attacks" but mainly said "Christchurch mosque shootings".

However, BBC had called the 2017 Westminster attack, "Westminster Terror Attack".

In a terrorist attack in March 2017, Khalid Masood, 52, killed four people on Westminster Bridge when he mowed pedestrians down, before stabbing a police officer who was on duty in front of parliament.

Meanwhile, British daily newspaper Daily Mirror published a childhood photo of Brenton Harrison, the terrorist who carried out the attacks, calling him "an angelic boy." 

"Boy who grew into an evil far-right mass killer as 49 murdered at prayers," Daily Mirror wrote.

"A photo released of the killer as a child in the arms of his late father shows an angelic boy who former ­associates revealed was a likable and dedicated personal trainer running free athletic programmes for kids," it added.

The terror attack, during the weekly Friday prayers at the Al Noor and Linwood mosques in Christchurch, was streamed live on social media.  

Former BBC editor slams broadcaster for its angle

Ex-BBC editor Rifat Jawaid criticised BBC for its perspective and style about the terrorist attack in Christchurch.

"As a former BBC Editor, I feel incredibly disappointed with your glaringly biased editorials. Both Australian and New Zealand Prime Ministers have called Christchurch carnage as a terrorist attack. But for your TV and online editors, this is only mosque attack! Shameful!," Jawaid also said on Twitter.

Separately, Iranian Ambassador in London Hamid Baeidinejad said on social media that knife attack in London means a terrorist attack for BBC managers but the massacre in New Zealand is only an attack.

New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and her Australian counterpart Scott Morrison said that the mosque attacks were terrorist attacks.

Ardern told reporters that her country is treating the shootings as a "terrorist incident".