Turkey's Erdogan claims mosque massacre remarks taken 'out of context'

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that controversial comments made in the wake of a mosque massacre in New Zealand were taken "out of context", a senior aide said on Wednesday, after Australia summoned Turkey's envoy to protest over the remarks.

"President #Erdogan's words were unfortunately taken out of context," Fahrettin Altun, communications director for the Turkish presidency, wrote on Twitter.

"As he was giving his speech at the (Gallipoli) commemorations, (Erdogan) framed his remarks in a historical context of attacks against Turkey," he said.

"Turks have always been the most welcoming and gracious hosts to their Anzac visitors."

Speaking at a political rally on Monday, Erdogan warned that Turkey would punish the Australian attacker who killed 50 people at Mosques in New Zealand.

The Turkish leader also made reference to the Battle of Gallipoli, in which 8,000 Australians died fighting Turkish forces during World War I, saying that anti-Muslim attackers from Australia would be sent back in coffins "like their grandfathers were".

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison earlier on Wednesday condemned the "reckless" and "highly offensive" comments made by Erdogan, warning he would consider "all options" in reviewing ties.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern later said the country’s foreign minister would travel to Turkey to "confront" President Recep Tayyip Erdogan over his remarks on the Christchurch mosque massacre.

Three Turkish nationals were wounded in the rampage that killed 50 worshippers at two mosques in the southern New Zealand city of Christchurch on Friday.

The accused gunman, a self-avowed white supremacist from Australia, livestreamed much of the attack and spread a manifesto on social media claiming it was a strike against Muslim "invaders".

The manifesto references Turkey and the minarets of Istanbul's famed Hagia Sophia, now a museum, that was once a church before becoming a mosque during the Ottoman empire.