Police on Tuesday released a statement in which it said that Tarrant has been charged under section 6A of the Terrorism Suppression Act 2002.
An additional murder charge has been filed against him of a Turkish man, who succumbed to his wounds this month. Tarrant is charged with the murder of 51 people and 40 attempted murders.
Until now, the charges against him were less expansive. Police said the decision to lay the terror charge was made after consultations with prosecutors and government legal experts.
Tarrant will appear before a court on June 14, after remand and examination by a psychiatrist to determine whether he was fit for trial.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern described the attack as a 'well-planned' terrorist act. She also refused to utter the name of the attacker saying that those who died in the gruesome act of terrorism must be named and not the attacker.
“It is clear now that this can only be called a terrorist attack,” Ardern had said following the attack, adding that the attack appears to have been well planned because two explosive devices were found from the suspect’s vehicle.
9 Pakistanis also lost their lives in Christchurch mosques attack. Among the 9 was Naeem Rashid who laid his life trying to stop the attacker.
"Pakistan is proud of Mian Naeem Rashid who was martyred trying to tackle the White Supremacist terrorist and his courage will be recognized with a national award," Prime Minister Khan said.