A man who threatened a terror attack involving car bombs in Christchurch on the anniversary of March 15 this year has met with Farid Ahmed, who lost his wife in the deadly massacre.
James is 27 years old and not long out of prison. He says he deeply regrets his online hate speech and never intended to carry out an attack.
He was arrested in March this year after making a series of online posts threatening car bombs at both Christchurch mosques - the very mosques that were attacked - around the second anniversary.
James visited Ahmed seeking forgiveness from the Muslim community.
"I'm not that person I'm perceived to be; I'm not a hateful person," James said.
"I never did [intend to carry out an attack], it was just shit-talking online… I was just spouting hatred and I feel ashamed for what I've done."
Police were alerted to his posts by a member of the public and took swift action. They launched an intensive investigation in what was already a heightened environment and thoroughly searched both mosques.
James says he went to the far-right extremist website 4chan because he was isolated and lonely.
"Just not being able to fit in, not having a lot of friends," he explained.
He was also addicted to drugs and alcohol.
"I'm not using that as an excuse because plenty of people use drugs and alcohol."
Ahmed lost his wife, Husna, in the terror attack. He called police on the day James was arrested and asked to meet him.
"It is better that we meet human to human over a cup of tea, and that way we can move forward," Ahmed told Newshub.
James insists he's never been racist.
Newshub can now reveal that James has recently pleaded guilty to one charge of threatening to kill and one charge of distributing an objectionable publication.
He acknowledges he did those things and "felt awful for it".
Thursday's meeting was important to both men.
"Just to let them know that I'm not a threat and this was a monumental mistake, and just to apologise for the fear I've created myself, because no one should have to live like that in New Zealand," James said.
Ahmed said there is "no better medicine as far as I know to bring hearts together than forgiveness".
Whether the courts will be as forgiving will be known when he's sentenced later this year.
*Newshub cannot identify James' real name due to a court order.
