ISTANBUL

Muslim communities have raised concerns that loosening firearm restrictions in New Zealand could lead to more deaths, as the government revises the Arms Act, local media reported Friday.

The minister in charge, Nicole McKee, had previously criticized the previous government's reforms after the 2019 mosque attacks, hinted that access to the weapons used in the massacre might be relaxed, according to Radio New Zealand.

In 2019, a white supremacist terrorist killed 51 Muslims and injured dozens with semi-automatic rifles in Al Noor Mosque and Linwood Islamic Centre, prompting a near-total ban on such firearms.

However, the New Zealand’s government is now rewriting the Arms Act.

The Muslim community of New Zealand is worried that McKee, due to her background such as spokesperson for the Council of Licensed Firearm Owners, will be in favor of relaxing the ban.

“It is important that everyone has the chance to provide input into how firearms are controlled and, therefore, everyone has an opportunity to have a say in the rewrite of the Act. However, as I am yet to receive a report on the first stage of submissions, I believe their concern is misplaced,” McKee said on the matter.

The legislation is yet to be drafted, so the government's exact proposals remains unclear for now.

Rosemary Omar, who lost her son Tariq in the Al Noor Mosque massacre, criticized McKee’s stance, saying she had an agenda and described her views on firearms as "ludicrous".

"If she believes it was just a mosque attack that does not equate with the fact that someday there will another crazy person out there that may go to a mall or may go to a marae or a school," Omar said.

Other prominent Islamic community members also questioned McKee’s impartiality on the matter while one stated that the Australian terrorist attacked New Zealand and not Australia since Australia has stricter gun laws and warned that relaxing the law may give way to another attack.