MI5 was last night investigating New Zealand gunman Brenton Tarrant over possible links to far-right extremists in Britain.

The 28-year-old's travel across countries including Turkey and Bulgaria are today being probed as the aftermath of the Christchurch massacre continues.

5 Brenton Tarrant was seen arriving in Turkey in 2016 Credit: AP:Associated Press

5 Brenton Tarrant travelled to North Korea before the massacre

Brit spies are reviewing the Australian’s 74-page manifesto, penned before the gunman opened fire and killed 49 people in New Zealand, a Whitehall source told The Times.

Tarrant said he was inspired by Darren Osborne, who drove into worshippers outside Finsbury Park Mosque in North London in 2017.

And more details of the shooter's links to Europe's far right have continued to emerge in the wake of the mosque massacres.

Security sources told The Independent they believed the shooter may have met with extreme right-wing groups during a visit to Europe two years ago.

It has been claimed Tarrant started to travel about 2011 after the death of his father, heading to Turkey and Pakistan, as well as the Balkans.

The young man's multiple visits to Turkey are also being probed, Ankara confirmed.

Bulgarian authorities revealed the alleged shooter had visited the country as recently as last year.

The gun man had scrawled names of battles and figures from the time of the country's struggle against Ottoman rule on the automatic rifle magazines used in the massacre.

Neo-nazi symbols and other names of 16th century admirals were also scrawled in white on the bags and ammunition.

Bulgarian Prosecutor-General Sotir Tsatsarov confirmed Tarrant had visited Bulgaria between November 9 and 15 last year.

Tarrant travelled to Sofia, using a hire car to travel to areas including Pleven, Gabrovo and Bachovo.

Bulgarian authorities are now looking into what contacts the Australian man had made during the trip.

He told Sofia Globe: "We have to establish whether the purpose of visiting the country was to study historical places, or something else."

Tarrant is also believed to have travelled to North Korea, India and Japan.

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Scotland Yard’s Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu, head of counterterrorism, said there was “no intelligence linking these appalling events to the UK”.

Meanwhile, security at mosques across ­Britain was stepped up yesterday over fears of a copycat attack. Police increased patrols and offered advice.

Col Richard Kemp, former chair of the Government’s Cobra group, admitted: “A New Zealand type attack has long been considered.”

5 It was claimed that the shooter had also travelled to Pakistan

5 Christchurch mosque shooting suspect Brenton Tarrant is being probed over possible links to far-right extremists in Britain Credit: AFP or licensors

5 The killer streamed the atrocity live on social media

New Zealand mosque shootings – White supremacist gunmen shoot dead dozens of worshippers and leave many others injured in terror attack at two Christchurch mosques