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Christchurch mosque survivor, UAE resident Adeeb Sami recalling the fateful March 15 events, one of the worst days in New Zealand history
See more at https://gulfnews.com/videos
Christchurch mosque survivor, UAE resident Adeeb Sami recalling the fateful March 15 events, one of the worst days in New Zealand history
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00:00So when you came back on Sunday, what was the scene like here?
00:04I will tell you, before I arrived in Dubai airport
00:11It was in the morning I believe, right?
00:13Yeah, it was 5.45 but I don't know, our pilot was a good pilot
00:21He touched the land around 5.15, 30 minutes before the proposed landing time
00:31But I will tell you one thing, when the pilot announced
00:36Before you reach Dubai, he announced something that we are approaching Dubai
00:44I cried, to be honest
00:47Because I never expected that I will come to UAE again
00:50You know, I spent 25 years in UAE
00:55So maybe I consider it my home, to be honest
01:01I spent around 28 years in Iraq and 25 years in UAE
01:11So UAE is like a second home, or now it's my home
01:17Because considering that 17 or 14 years from childhood, you are not counting
01:27So the remaining time I spent in Iraq, around 15 or 16 years
01:35So 25 years is more than whatever I spent in Iraq
01:42And I found the whole family is waiting for me
01:49I wanted to come as well, but your daughter didn't give me a specific time
01:56Yeah, it was a very emotional moment
02:02I saw my family
02:05This was at Terminal 3?
02:07Yeah, I came in Emirates Airline, Terminal 3
02:12Then we travelled to Al Ain, because my home is in Al Ain
02:16You went with the same flight or you stayed here?
02:18No, directly, some part of the family live in Al Ain, part of the family live in Dubai and Sharjah
02:28Yeah, my daughter in Dubai, but the rest of the family in Sharjah
02:33They all came there?
02:34Yeah, everybody, you know
02:37After three months of the events, what happened through
02:43So I expect that they all came
02:45So when you came to office on Sunday, when did you start work?
02:4810 o'clock in the morning?
02:49No, I came around 7.30
02:52We started at 8 o'clock
02:54By the way, this is my habit, even they know me here
02:59Before the duty started, at 7.30 I will be here
03:03So I came in the morning and everybody, when they came at 8 o'clock, they came here
03:11It was very nice to have them here
03:15You saw the pictures of your son?
03:17Yeah, I saw, to be honest, I never expected that
03:22And I don't know from where they, some pictures I don't know from where they brought it
03:27Especially the one at the main entry, I don't know from where
03:33But they told me from culture day, we have culture day
03:37So that picture from the culture day
03:40So were they standing outside at the door or inside?
03:43No, they came here, I told you I came before most of them
03:48Everybody, they sit with me and they help me
03:51And by the way, that was not the first time they saw me
03:56Because I had three, four conference calls with them from New Zealand
04:01So I started online before one month
04:05You started work?
04:06Work with them online, yeah
04:08Before, I think before, exactly with the Ramadan
04:14So I spent the whole Ramadan
04:16And how was Ramadan?
04:18Ramadan there is, yeah, because they stopped
04:23What about your medicines?
04:25Yeah, they arranged my medicine to take it
04:28Before, because Ramadan there in winter, because winter in the south
04:33So did you keep some fast or like most of them?
04:36Yeah, yeah, I fasted the whole month
04:38And by the way, the Eid was on Thursday
04:43So we spent, we completed 30 days
04:49And where did you go for the Eid prayers?
04:51Eid prayers, I have picture with, and it was also very touching
04:56Because some guys, they remembered one of our friend, we lost him
05:02And he was arranging all Eid festivals
05:07And which mosque did you go for the Eid prayers?
05:09No, Eid prayers always in Christchurch
05:14We are not doing in the mosque
05:16We are getting like some open area
05:22Or sometimes open area, sometimes because it's cold
05:26So we are going, we went for like arena area
05:33Arena, it's like sports area, closed sports area
05:39So the guy who used to organize Eid prayers every year was not there this time?
05:43Yeah, he was, because we lost him
05:45Do you know him personally?
05:46Yeah, he was on my left
05:49Oh, he was with you, was it Fateh?
05:52Abdel Fattah
05:53Oh, he's the same guy
05:54The same guy, we lost him in that event
06:00Who talked to me before he passed away, by the way
06:04So if we can go back to the day when it started
06:08Like you got up, it was on a Friday morning
06:12And you got up at, what time is the prayers?
06:15Like sometime around 12.30 in New Zealand?
06:18You mean the event?
06:21The 15th March?
06:22Yeah
06:2315th March, I arrived around 14th March, you know
06:27In Christchurch
06:29After one year, because one year I didn't go to Christchurch
06:35And your sons, were they happy?
06:38Yeah, my children, they traveled in last December
06:44You know, to spend Christmas break
06:47So all of them, they were here in UAE
06:52Because they like UAE, most of them, as I told you
06:55Like Ali, he spent one year in Iraq
07:01And he spent around 14 years in UAE
07:08And he went to New Zealand
07:11When they asked him, you are from where?
07:13He said, I'm from UAE
07:15I told him, you are not from UAE
07:17Yeah, so they like UAE, to be honest
07:22You arrived in New Zealand on the 14th of March
07:25And the following day
07:27Yeah, 14th of March we arrived
07:30And I remember we arrived around 11.50, something like this
07:38And we celebrated, because they have work on Thursday
07:44Night we celebrated the birthday for the twin, Ali and Hamza
07:50And next day, I went to have a coffee
07:55I have a picture with my daughter
08:00Around 12.50
08:0412.50?
08:0512.50
08:065.00?
08:07Yeah, 12.50, 5.00
08:11And this coffee was near the mosque?
08:14Yeah, it's around maybe one or two kilometers from the mosque
08:18So after that you went home and then you got dressed up for the prayers?
08:21No, no, I went to my home around 30 minutes
08:26But why did you have to go to a coffee shop?
08:29Was there any occasion?
08:30No, no, because we went to immigration to renew my passport
08:34So I went with my daughter to internal affairs, sorry
08:39To renew my passport
08:42And I have the picture for the new passport
08:46You will see it's totally different than me now
08:49Because I lost around 14 kg
08:53So you went alone to the mosque?
08:55I went alone to the mosque
08:57And your sons joined later?
09:00No, I don't know my son, he's in the mosque
09:05Because normally they have work
09:10And the lunch break is very limited there
09:16So most of them, they come before the end of the speech
09:25Before the khutba?
09:26Yeah, Juma speech
09:28And they attend the prayer, then they run to work again
09:32So I don't know whether my kids catch the beginning of
09:40Because the shooting was exactly after the
09:43Khutba?
09:44Not khutba, after the Arabic speech
09:47Our mosque starts with Arabic speech
09:51And they do a translation?
09:52No, no, only the beginning, the introduction in Arabic
09:57Which is, you know, everybody knows
10:01Then he started saying, he started
10:04My dear brother and sister
10:07And he said this in English?
10:08Yeah, he said it, my dear brother and sister
10:12And he stopped because the shooting started
10:16And from the minbar, right?
10:20Yeah, minbar
10:21How far were you from the minbar?
10:24I will tell you, our main hall, the mosque
10:29Is around, let us say, 8 meters
10:33And the length, let us say, 25 to 30, that's all
10:39That's the main hall
10:40And we have behind that hall
10:43If I will draw to you, you will understand exactly
10:48This is the hall
10:57And we have room here for, you know, classes
11:01So that is the Al-Nur mosque drawing
11:09So the minbar is here
11:13And I was sitting here
11:16I usually, by the way, sit in the front
11:21But I have one, my friend, because one year he didn't see me
11:26And he is always sitting in the bench
11:29So he asked me to come, to leave this area
11:32And come and sit with him
11:35So during the first round of shooting, I was sitting here
11:42So you were sitting there and the imam says, brother and sister
11:46And then you hear this, cut, cut, cut
11:49Yeah, I never expect that
11:51And what did you think when you started?
11:54I never expect that this is real
11:56When you heard that, what was the first reaction?
11:58I stayed, I stayed sitting in my seat, I didn't move
12:02What did you think the sound could have been?
12:05I thought it's a firework or something
12:09Because it's happened before, you know, we live in a community
12:16So we face some issues
12:20I thought it's a firework to be honest
12:22But did you see anyone?
12:24And when did you realize it was done firing?
12:28Was it after you were hit?
12:30Or after you saw someone being hit or you saw shouting?
12:34No, when the shooting started
12:38And it was maybe from the front entrance or the gate
12:44And you did not hear any shout or anything?
12:46No, no, from the main entrance I'm hearing only gunshots
12:50Because he used the automatic weapon when he entered
12:54When I heard the repeated shooting
12:59Then everybody is running because we have exit here
13:04So everybody run for the exit
13:08I stand up, I stand up maybe 2-3 meters from the bench
13:14And I got shot
13:16And this was the bullet that you took?
13:19Yeah, it entered from the hip, the pelvis
13:24Which is from the behind
13:27And you immediately lay down?
13:28I immediately lay down
13:30Everybody, from the first round, everybody lay down
13:34And you realized that you have been hit?
13:36Yeah, sure
13:38And I realized that I cannot move even
13:43They keep on shooting us
13:45Did you see some blood coming?
13:47Yeah, sure, everybody, the blood is everywhere
13:51That moment, my friend, he was laid down with me
13:56The guy who was...
13:58Abdi Fatah
14:00And where is he from?
14:02He is from Palestine, he is a Palestinian guy
14:06Abdi Fatah, he asked me, how are you, are you okay?
14:12I told him I have a bullet
14:16Then he said to me, don't worry
14:21He called me Abu Abdullah
14:23So don't worry, I will save you
14:30After the shooting stopped, I will take you to hospital
14:34Yeah, he was...
14:36He was comforting you?
14:38You know, the first guy I met him in New Zealand
14:42He is a very close friend
14:49After the second round, the guy came and shot
14:55Did you see it happening?
14:57Yeah, I saw two bullets, one in his face and one in his heart
15:03He passed away immediately
15:06So when you fell down with the bullet, and then what happened afterwards?
15:12Afterwards, my son was in the room behind, as I told you
15:19But you don't know that your son was there?
15:21I don't know, then he came and started dialing 111 for the emergency
15:27And he started dialing from his...
15:29Mobile phone
15:31Then I...
15:33You saw Ali?
15:35I saw Ali
15:37You told me your son was there
15:39No, Abdullah, he was on his way
15:42Abdullah, he always comes late
15:46So when I saw Ali, he was dialing 111
15:51And he put a speaker on the speaker
15:55Then I heard the guy, he came back with the second round of shooting
16:01So he went back and changed the gun?
16:03He changed the gun to a single...
16:07He didn't use an automatic weapon
16:12He threw it and he started saying...
16:18No, no, it's a gun
16:20It's a gun, but with a single shot
16:24Then I told Ali, close the phone and lay down
16:29So he laid down and...
16:31Did you see people shouting, crying?
16:33No, to be honest, it was also...
16:37If you ask anybody, nobody...
16:40Although we are under pain
16:43But you are not seeing all the people saying shahadah
16:48You know, God is a great standard
16:51Only that, nobody shouting or...
16:56You know, saying something to relieve their pain
17:02No, only shahadah
17:06Which, to be honest, everybody...
17:09Because at that moment, I felt that it's the end
17:13When he came back
17:15So you were wounded and you started calling 111?
17:23I told him to close the phone
17:26In the meantime, the guy had gone outside to catch another guy
17:30When I told him to close the phone
17:34I heard that he's shooting again
17:36Because when he came...
17:38Did you see him?
17:39Yeah, I saw him in the second round
17:42He's shooting the guys beside me
17:46And saying this, afford, you know
17:48You know the afford
17:50I will kill you all, Muslim
17:53And start checking who's alive
17:57He gave him a bullet here and there
17:59And you saw him come close by?
18:01Yeah, that moment
18:03And you saw all this happening?
18:04Yeah, I got the second bullet in my shoulder
18:09The second bullet, did it come to you?
18:11Yeah, if you see...
18:14You know, I have a picture
18:17Where the gun is exactly one meter above me
18:23But he shot my shoulder
18:27He didn't shoot my head
18:29Because the guy is shooting the head after that
18:31Whenever who's alive
18:33So he shot you deliberately on your shoulder?
18:37No, you know
18:40Because he's...
18:41I don't know how he missed me, by the way
18:43Because he's a trained shooter
18:46By the way, he trained in a shooting range in Dunedin
18:51Before six months
18:54He decided, if you read his story
18:59He decided to do this in Dunedin city
19:02Dunedin is around five hours drive from Christchurch
19:06Yeah, I read all that
19:08So when he attended in February in Christchurch
19:12And this was a public holiday
19:16So he saw a lot of people attending the prayer
19:21In the Christchurch mosque in Noor
19:26So he changed his mind
19:28And he said, I will make it here
19:34I will make it in Christchurch mosque
19:38So the second bullet hit you?
19:41My shoulder
19:42On your shoulder
19:43Yeah, which is exactly came in front of Ali's face
19:48So Ali's face was burned from only the heat of the bullets
19:52Yeah
19:55And I remember, you know, whenever the shooter shoot anyone
20:01My son, me also, to be honest
20:06We, you know, the shaking of the body with each bullet
20:11Because as I told you, he's checking who's alive
20:13He give him another bullet
20:15I did not understand
20:17The second round, he start checking who's alive
20:23He give him a bullet
20:25So with each bullet, both of us shaking, you know
20:29We try to control ourselves
20:31Not to give any indication that we are alive
20:36So the second bullet hits you in the shoulder
20:39And then he's coming back to check who's alive
20:42And then you are controlling, moving your body
20:46Yeah, we avoid to give any indication that we are still alive
20:51You know, because although he's checking who's alive
20:55But he's spreading
20:57No, no, no, no
20:59Whoever, you know, give any sound indication
21:03Yeah, because some guys, they are, you know
21:07Although they are injured
21:09They are saying, you know, shahada or saying
21:13God is the greatest, something like that
21:15Allahu Akbar
21:16So my friend, he was on my left
21:21He's saying Allahu Akbar
21:24And he give him a bullet, two bullets
21:28Exactly after he say that
21:30So all of you were lying close by?
21:33Yeah, yeah, yeah
21:35How many people were there?
21:38We were around 40
21:4140, all of them?
21:43Yeah, yeah, yeah
21:44Because the exit is here
21:46So we are trying to get the exit
21:49Yeah, after that
21:51So you saw him from close by?
21:54Did you see his face?
21:56I can't remember his face
21:58Because, you know, you cannot forget
22:02The guy was, you know, big muscles
22:07But he was not tall, he was short
22:11Although they asked me to come and attend the court hearing
22:15But I didn't, I refused to go
22:18Why did you refuse to go?
22:20I have nothing with the shooter
22:24And I don't want to, you know, feel sorry for him
22:27Because he's 27 or 28
22:30He lost his life now
22:33For what? Trying to make what?
22:37Nothing
22:39I don't think that he achieved anything
22:43Vice versa, he, you know, he made a positive impact on Muslim community
22:51Because Muslim community get unified more
22:58With the New Zealanders
23:01And, you know, the support they got
23:04Nobody can expect that support we got from New Zealand government
23:12New Zealand people, New Zealanders
23:15I never expect that, to be honest
23:17But the support we got was amazing
23:21Amazing to see our neighbours coming to us
23:28Cleaning our house
23:30Cutting the lawn
23:33Washing our cars
23:35Daily you will see my wife
23:38She's saying, please stop getting flowers
23:45Because we are getting daily flowers
23:48So she asked them, please keep it with you
23:51Because I have no space in the house, inside the house
23:54That support we are getting, we got from New Zealanders
24:01From the community
24:03So he exactly gave us a positive impact
24:11We never, he never maybe thought that
24:14That impact will happen to Muslim community
24:18After that, when he moved
24:21My son, you know, stand up
24:24And when I saw him stand up clean and clear
24:28To be honest, that was the greatest moment I ever felt
24:31Because, you know, when you see your son safe
24:35So what he did, and that was also a big moment
24:40When I called him, asking him
24:43I told him, Ali, please take care of your mother and sister and brothers
24:52And he said, dad, why are you saying that? You are okay
24:55I told him, no, you should say like this in the movies
25:00He said, how dare you are joking in such a moment like this
25:05You have two bullets
25:07Then he stand up and he removed my jacket
25:10And if you, I think I will show you the video
25:14When they traveled me from the mosque to hospital
25:17He put the belts above my wounds
25:24To stop the bleeding
25:27So I stopped bleeding till I reached the theater
25:31So who took you to the hospital?
25:33Swat people, when they entered the mosque
25:36To see it's clear or not
25:38And they took my son, asked him to leave
25:41Then the Swat people, they put me in the ambulance bed
25:47And the ambulance, they took me to hospital
25:51And you were conscious throughout the time?
25:54No, no, no, yeah, yeah, I was awake
25:57How did your family come to know about this? Your wife?
26:00How did she take it?
26:02My wife and daughters
26:04My wife and daughter
26:07She is calling
26:09They were in a shopping mall, shopping center
26:15And they heard that shooting in the mosque
26:19And they know that I was there
26:22Your wife and daughter were there in the mosque?
26:25The same daughter, I took coffee with her
26:28My wife came and took her to the mall nearby
26:32Nearby the mosque
26:34And when they heard, you know, they ran quickly to the hospital
26:39I will show you the picture
26:42I think BBC, they were taking these shots alive
26:47Or TV, New Zealand TV
26:50There is a picture showing my daughter and my wife
26:57Running to hospital
26:59And another picture, at the same time
27:02I don't know, it's happening
27:04They don't know that
27:06They are showing me also
27:08From the ambulance going to the hospital
27:11But everybody, they connect that
27:14My wife, she knows, but she didn't know
27:17But only the TV, they are covering both activities
27:21Who is running to the hospital and who is evacuating from the mosque
27:26It was a big event for such a small city
27:34I will give you an example
27:36Christchurch Hospital, they have 12 theaters
27:40They use only 3 theaters, always
27:44Maximum theaters, they use 3 theaters
27:47With this event, they used all 12 theaters for the operation
27:55So, you can imagine the number of people they evacuated
28:02For me, in 3 days, I had 3 major operations
28:078 and 10 and 12 hours
28:128, 10 and 12 hours
28:14In 3 days?
28:16In 3 days
28:18What they are saying now, that you are fine?
28:23Do you have any pain or do you have any discomfort while walking?
28:27Because you have some shambles still lodged in your...
28:30When I walk a long distance, more than a kilometer or more
28:36I will feel pain
28:39They give me Tramadol and they give me the letter
28:42Because the Dubai airport is very strict with Tramadol
28:47But I am trying, because my son is a pharmacist
28:52So, he said, don't use the Tramadol always
28:57But when I have pain
28:59From Saturday till now, I didn't have any tablet
29:03But he said, if you have pain, you will use it
29:08I have only the last operation
29:11When they reversed my stomach
29:14You can see my stomach
29:17They reversed it
29:19What did they reverse?
29:21The colostomy
29:23They wanted to reverse it to the normal place
29:26Now, I am having this
29:31Here, to stop any infection
29:34They hit you here, but they have to do something here?
29:37Yes, because the type of bullets they use
29:40Enter your body and explode
29:43So, when it explodes, it damages the pancreas
29:47And the colostomy
29:51And the kidney
29:53And all this
29:56Even the stomach, some part of the stomach
29:59So, it damages all of these things
30:01For that, they open from here
30:04And they clean, wash out all these
30:07So, in September
30:106th of September, I will return to New Zealand
30:14To have the final operation
30:16They wanted to
30:18I asked them whether I can make it in Dubai or in UAE
30:23But they said, you can
30:26However, you know
30:28Because as I understood from them
30:31Every human being
30:34We have a map inside our bodies