New Zealand’s Jewish community is outraged after the chairman of the country’s biggest mosque claimed Israel’s Mossad spy agency and “Zionist business houses” were behind the horrific Christchurch massacre that killed 50 Muslim worshipers.

The remarks were streamed live on Facebook and made by Fiji Indian businessman Ahmed Bhamji, who is the chairman of Masjid E Umar in the Auckland suburb of Mount Roskill — which describes itself as the “busiest and biggest” mosque in New Zealand.

“I will not mince words,” Bhamji told crowd of around 1000. “I stand here and I say I have a very very strong suspicion that there is some group behind him and I am not afraid to say I feel Mossad is behind this.”

A man in the crowd can then be heard shouting: “That’s the truth. Israel is behind this. That’s right!”

Bhamji continued: “And not only them. There are some business houses, also, who are around… you know, Zionist business houses that are behind him. And I think when the investigations come through, the investigations need to look at that angle. Where did he get the money to buy all those guns?

A man in the crowd then interjected and shouted: “Israel!”

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern had visited that mosque on the same day as the rally, mourning the victims of the massacre committed by 28-year-old Australian white supremacist Brenton Tarrant.

Earlier during the rally, socialist activist Joe Carolan, the co-founder of the group that organized the protest, said the war between Israel and the Palestinians had “come home” because six of the victims of the Christchurch shooting were of Palestinian origin.

Ahmed Bhamji, Chairman of NZ Mosque That Hosted NZ PM Ardern: Mossad, Zionist Businesses Paid, Supported Christchurch Shooter pic.twitter.com/VAgJdA4XfI

— MEMRI (@MEMRIReports) March 27, 2019

“These conspiracy theories are dangerous lies,” New Zealand Jewish Council spokesperson Juliet Moses toldlocal website Newshub. “They put the Jewish community at risk, at a time of heightened security concerns.”

“Conspiracy theories – particularly the idea that Jews (whether through the Jewish state or otherwise) are a malevolent controlling force in the world – are at the very core of anti-Semitism,” she added.

Bhamji refused to back down and repeated the allegation when contacted by Newshub.

“Mossad is up to all these things,” he said. “When I talk about Mossad, why should the Jews be upset about it? I made a statement, a lot of other people made statements.”

Prejudice against Jewish people has no place in New Zealand. We must condemn racism, hate and anti-semitism whenever we see it. #GiveNothingToRacism https://t.co/4ksMO1EZEV

— Te Kāhui Tika Tangata Human Rights Commission (@NZHumanRights) March 27, 2019

Umar Abdul Kuddus, a prominent Muslim activist and council member, wrote on Facebook: “I am horrified and offended that the chairman made these ridiculous and hurtful comments towards the Jewish community.”

“I was on the ground in Christchurch and I saw Rabbis and Jewish community leaders coming to support and pray with us for the victims and their families.

“I feel embarrassed, he said, “that this individual is seen as a representative of my community when in fact he represents no one person of the Muslim community but for his own unacceptable views.”

(Nat Golden – YWN)