Teen girl charged with murder over recording of San Diego mosque attack

A 17-year-old girl has been charged with murder by aiding and abetting after prosecutors say she recorded a livestream of an attack on a San Diego mosque that left three people dead.

Prosecutors say the girl also published a manifesto from two teenage gunmen who carried out the attack on the Islamic Center of San Diego on 18 May.

The teenager, from North Carolina, was arrested last week and indicted by a grand jury on Monday, according to Forsyth County District Attorney Jim O'Neill.

Speaking at a news conference, O'Neill said: "The thought of her going back to school, with the weekend approaching, holy days approaching, we didn't know what she was capable of."

The teenager now faces three murder charges and one count of conspiracy. O'Neill explained that under North Carolina law, a person accused of aiding and abetting a crime can be held criminally responsible in the same way as the person who carried it out.

Authorities say the attack was carried out by two males - aged 17 and 18 - who opened fire at the mosque, before taking their own lives.

O'Neill said the pair had two aims that day: "Number one, to kill as many people as possible on that day. Secondly, they wanted this carnage and destruction recorded ... livestreamed."

A security guard at the mosque, Amin Abdullah, exchanged gunfire with the attackers and initiated a lockdown, helping protect around 140 children who were inside the building.