The imam of the attacked mosque in New Zealand said: "We still love this country"

The Imam who led the prayers in a New Zealand mosque on Friday, when an armed man opened fire on the faithful said Saturday that heThe relationship of Muslims with the country will not be affected.

"We still love this country"he said Ibrahim Abdul Halim, Imam of the Linwood Mosque, in the city of Christchurch, added that extremists "will never, ever, affect our trust".

Halim recalled that Friday afternoon prayers were usually spent when the first shots were heard performed by a heavily armed man.

"Everyone has been thrown to the ground, women have started to cry, but there are people who died on the spot", he remembered.

However, he added, New Zealand Muslims still feel safe in this Pacific nation.

"My children live here, we are happy", a point.

In your opinion most New Zealanders "were immediately ready to support us, to bring us full solidarity"

This Saturday, he said: strangers approached to support him and give him a hug.

"They started to … embrace us, express our solidarity, it's very important to us"he said.

(With information from AFP)