Man Haron Monis (19 May
1964 – 16 December 2014) was an Iranian-born refugee Australian citizen
who took hostages in a siege at the Lindt Chocolate Café at Martin
Place, Sydney
on 15 December 2014, lasting for 17 hours, until the early hours of the
following morning. The siege resulted in the death of Monis and two hostages.
While
Monis had a warrant out for his arrest in Iran, he sought
political asylum in Australia in 1996, which was granted in 2001. Monis
variously promoted himself as an Iranian intelligence official, a political
activist, a spiritual healer and expert in black magic, an outlaw
bikie and a Muslim cleric. He told a psychiatrist who diagnosed him with
schizophrenia that he had to change his name for "security reasons,"
variously calling himself "Michael Hayson Mavros", "Sheikh
Haron", and "Ayatollah Mohammed Manteghi Boroujerdi".
Monis
ran a "spiritual healing" business, telling some women that they
needed to submit to sexual molestation to receive treatment. In 2014, Monis was
charged with accessory to murder of his ex-wife, as well as over 40 counts of
sexual assault. At the time of his death he had recently converted from Shia Islam
to Sunni
Islam, and attended Islamist rallies promoting conspiracy theories about
Australian security agencies. While on bail, and facing a likely lengthy
imprisonment, he declared allegiance to Islamic State of Iraq and the
Levant.
INTERNET
SOURCE: http://www.9news.com.au/national/2016/07/06/13/38/no-legal-right-for-sniper-shot-at-monis#XKL0HVSEPRM6jVDt.99
8:21pm July 6, 2016
Sydney siege inquest: Elite police
sniper ‘did the best he could’ during 17-hour siege
9NEWS
A police sniper has recounted the moment he saw Lindt café manager Tori Johnson on his knees before being executed, and how hours earlier believed he did not have the authority to shoot Man Haron Monis despite having him in his sights.
The
senior constable, who is the first sniper to give evidence at the inquest into
the December 2014 siege of the Lindt Cafe, became emotional as he recalled
seeing a muzzle flash and Mr Johnson then falling forward.
The elite
marksman, known as Sierra 3-3, told the court he saw Mr Johnson fall forward.
He said
it was a matter of 30 seconds to a minute between the moment he observed Mr
Johnson on his knees and the muzzle flash, believed to be the moment gunman Man
Haron Monis executed the cafe manager at about 2.13am on December 16, 2014.
"I
was trying to look for Monis at the time as there'd been a shot fired," he
said, referring to the escape of six hostages 10 minutes earlier, which had
prompted the gunman to fire off a round from his shotgun for the first time.
"My
focus was drawn on what I thought was Tori.
"It
appeared to me he'd taken a lower profile because I could only see him from the
waist up which made me think he was on his knees.
"I
saw what I thought was a muzzle flash then I saw Mr Johnson fall forward.
"I
couldn't see him after that."
Police
stormed the building after Mr Johnson was killed, bringing an end to the siege.
At various times during the more than 17 hours of the stand-off, snipers at the Westpac and Channel Seven buildings directly opposite the cafe observed Monis through windows but could never be "100 percent" about having a clear shot.
At various times during the more than 17 hours of the stand-off, snipers at the Westpac and Channel Seven buildings directly opposite the cafe observed Monis through windows but could never be "100 percent" about having a clear shot.
Sierra
3-3 also doubted whether he had legal authority, and recounted the severe risks
involved.
"Having
two mediums of glass to get through, the potential hazards that would cause if
the shot was missed, the risk to those inside; all of those things greatly
reduced our confidence," he said.
He
also said he had doubts on the identity.
“I
was quietly confident it was him, but not 100 percent confident.”
Asked
about the legal justification for taking a shot, he said: "I'm no more justified in firing my firearm than a
general duties officer on the street".
Police
stormed the cafe after Mr Johnson's death initiated the police Emergency Action
plan, the triggers for which were death or serious injury or imminent death or
serious injury.
Asked
by counsel assisting the Johnson family, Gabrielle Bashir SC, why Johnson being
ordered to his knees by a man who had sworn allegiance to Islamic State did not
represent an imminent threat, Sierra 3-3 said he could not see Monis at that
time.
"At
no time could I see anyone posing an imminent threat to (Mr Johnson)."
Monis
was killed by police, while hostage Katrina Dawson died after being hit by
fragments from police rounds.
The
inquest continues.
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