German police: NZ attack suspect sent money to French group

Graphic locates two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, where two mass shootings occurred;

German police say the suspected New Zealand mosque gunman sent money to a French far-right group.

On Thursday, the Federal Criminal Police Office said it briefed lawmakers on its investigation into ties the alleged Christchurch mosque attacker had to Germany, including buying a ticket to Neuschwanstein Castle last November.

The closed-doors briefing Wednesday also covered money that the suspect, Brenton Harrison Tarrant, transferred to the Generation Identity group in France.

Federal police declined to elaborate, but the German news agency dpa reported the suspect transferred 2,200 euros ($2,470) in September 2017.

Austrian authorities say Tarrant also donated 1,500 euros ($1,680) to Generation Identity's sister organization, the Identitarian Movement of Austria.

New Zealand police said Thursday that Tarrant will face 50 murder charges and 39 attempted murder charges in his second court appearance.