Man jailed for calling Christchurch mosque terrorist a 'hero'

Police vehicles parked outside Al Noor Mosque in Christchurch. Photo: Getty Images
Police vehicles parked outside Al Noor Mosque in Christchurch. Photo: Getty Images
A man has been handed a prison sentence in England after calling the Christchurch mosque terrorist a "hero" and sharing footage of the 2019 attacks.

The Birmingham Crown Court heard how Edward Griffiths sent people footage of the attacks at Al Noor Mosque and Linwood Islamic Centre and said he would "like" to go on a killing spree, BBC News reported.

The 44-year-old from Whitwick, Leicestershire, was found guilty of encouraging terrorism and two counts of dissemination of a terrorist publication in May.

He was jailed last week for four and a half years, reported BBC News.

The court heard how Griffiths posted an image of the terrorist, who killed 51 people at the two mosques, which depicted him as a Christian saint and called him a "hero".

Police counter-terrorism officers arrested Griffiths during a raid of his home, BBC News reported.

Judge Paul Farrer told the court Griffiths, who committed the offences between November 2021 and June 2022, was a "sad and lonely" man.

Judge Farrer said Griffiths had a drug problem at the time of the offences.