Monday, December 15, 2014

Australia Iranian Sheik Holds Chocolate Shop Hostage with Islamic flag

Australia Iranian Sheik Holds Chocolate Shop Hostage with Islamic flag ---
tags: iranian incident, Mideast or Muslim Suspect, Australia, Sydney Opera House, terrorist attack, government declines to call it terrrorism, ISIS, soldier victims, murder suspect, weak evidence, out on bail, murder of his ex-wife, stabbing, victim set on fire on a flight of stairs in her western Sydney apartment block in November 2013, sunni convert, anti-shia,

13 hostages, bomb threat, apparent terrorist attack December 15, 2014- December 16, 2014 Australia Iranian Sheik Holds Chocolate Shop Hostage with ISIS flag Hostages Taken in Sydney Chocolate Shop With ISIS Flag, no indications proving any possible terrorism connection or motive... drama began during the Monday morning rush hour and was heading into night time in Australia's largest city. Officials: "We don't know whether this is politically motivated, although obviously there are some indications that it could be," he said.  13 hostages are being held in the Lindt Chocolate Cafe in Sydney, Australia at 9:45 am local time. The people inside are being held at gunpoint by one gunman, possibly several. No hostages have been released. The famous Opera House was locked down after dubious reports of a man with a mysterious package. Iran warned Australia to be wary of  this man who evidently converted to anti-shia (the same side as ISIS) Gunman demanded an ISIS flag and announcement that it was an ISIS operation. Media pundits later are calling this a "lone wolf" terrorist attack as the US and other intelligence agencies have not been able to directly link the suspect to any organized terrorist group or movement.

update: 3 killed including suspect killed December 15, 2014 Cafe manager, WSU alumnus, hailed as hero in hostage siege Tori Johnson, 34, attended Washington State University in 2002 and 2003 to study hospitality business management. He reportedly died while trying to wrest the shotgun from the gunman in the Sydney, Australia, siege. December 15-16 , 2014 Australian leader mourns for siege victims Tearful Australians laid mounds of flowers at the site where two of 17 hostages were killed Tuesday when police swooped into a cafe to rescue them from a gunman -- an Iranian-born self-styled cleric described by the prime minister as a deeply disturbed person carrying out a "sick fantasy." main: Australia Iranian Sheik Holds Chocolate Shop Hostage with ISIS flag

November 2013 murder suspect, weak evidence, out on bail, murder of his ex-wife, stabbing, victim set on fire on a flight of stairs in her western Sydney apartment block in November 2013.

*Reference
  • Debbie Schleussel: 
  • Mark Lauchs Associate Professor  says the siege should not be labelled a 'terrorist attack'. this is a deranged person running a hostage situation and is closer to the other hostage incidents we have seen in Queensland over the past two months," "Coming from Iran, Man Haron Monis was most probably Shiite, highly unlikely to support IS, a Sunni group that attacks Shia. "But this incident was not about religion and neither was it a terrorist attack, but given that perception by the paraphernalia Monis used." Professor Lauchs said there had been two notable terrorist attacks in Australia - the Sydney Hilton Bombing in 1978 and the bombing of the Iwasaki Resort at Yeppoon near Rockhampton in 1980.
  • Michelle Malkin: 
  • Wikipedia 2014 Sydney hostage crisis
  • Wikipedia Man Haron Monis Man Haron Monis (1964 – 16 December 2014) was an Iranian-born Australian resident, and self-styled Muslim cleric,[2] who at the time of his death had recently converted from Shia Islam to Sunni Islam, and pledged his allegiance to the caliphate declared by Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.[3] He had sought political asylum in Australia in 1996 at the age of 32.[2] He was also known as Sheikh Haron,[4] Mohammad Hassan Manteghi,[5] and Ayatollah Manteghi Boroujerdi.[6]
  • Yassir Morsi suggested that "before he flew the black flag, Monis was just a desperate man with a violent past". That "he was just another gunman. ... the symbol (flag) rewrote Monis's violent past and gave grammar to his attack."  The Guardian  postdoctoral researcher at the Centre for Muslim and non-Muslim Understanding, University of South Australia. 
*Terrorism


Debate[edit]

At the time of the siege, debate arose around a number of wider issues, including terrorism; law and policy; violence; and the use of media, both mainstream and social.
Designation as terrorism[edit]


Part of a series on
Terrorism in Australia

Notable attacks


Sydney Yugoslav General Trade and Tourist
Agency bombing (1972)
Sydney Hilton bombing (1978)
Sydney Israeli consulate and Hakoah Club
bombings (1982)
Turkish consulate bombing (1986)
French consulate bombing (1995)
Endeavour Hills stabbings (2014)
Notable plots


Sydney terrorism plot (2005)
Holsworthy Barracks terror plot (2009)
Counter-terrorism


Legislation
Anti-terrorism legislation (2004)
Anti-terrorism legislation (2005)
Outlawed terror organisations

Raids
Counter-terrorism raids (2014)

Experts and commentators have debated whether Monis was a terrorist and whether his actions could be classified as an act of terrorism. There is doubt as to whether or not Monis fit the definition of a lone wolf terrorist. Queensland University of Technology criminologist Associate Professor Mark Lauchs said it was important the siege wasn't elevated to a "terrorist attack" as such. Lauchs said Monis was simply a deranged person running a hostage situation. "This incident was not about religion and neither was it a terrorist attack, but given that perception by the paraphernalia Monis used."[167] The Australian Prime Minister said, "[Man Haron Monis] had a long history of violent crime, infatuation with extremism and mental instability," said Tony Abbott. "As the siege unfolded yesterday, he sought to cloak his actions with the symbolism of the ISIL death cult." Former counter-terrorism adviser to the White House Richard Clarke said, "I don't think this was a lone wolf terrorist, I don't think this was a terrorist at all, I think this was someone who was committing suicide by police as a lot of people with mental problems do, and now, if they say they're a terrorist, if they say they're somehow associated with ISIS or Al Qaeda, it becomes a major event that shuts down the city and gets international attention. This was a person with a mental problem who tried to gain attention and succeeded, tried to shut down the city and succeeded, merely by putting up a flag that was something like the flag of ISIS."[168]

The difference between terrorism and terrorising acts was noted in one analysis as "enormously important"—it added that in Monis' case, terrorism "was clearly an element, but he was coming to the end of his rope with a variety of legal processes; there was clearly some mental instability,"[95] with "suicide by police" an early query.[169] One view was that his lack of ties to any movement did not preclude his being a terrorist as it is "an inclusive club".[170] Another commentator said, "There can be also no doubt that his attack was a terrorist act, as defined under Australia's Criminal Code Act 1995" and that, "he was a terrorist, clearly influenced by IS".[171]

One terrorism expert described Monis' actions as those of a "lone wolf terrorist ... driven by a desire for attention and to be in the spotlight,"[172][173] and his use of the flag was described as "the only way" to instill fear on a global scale.[174] Professor Michael Wesley, Director of the School of International, Political and Strategic Studies at the Australian National University said the attack "was very different from first-generation or second-generation terrorist attacks—but it was terrorism, and terrorism of a brutal and more unpredictable sort."[175] Another view was that describing the gunman as a terrorist was misplaced and would only serve the interests of ISIL.[176] The supervisor of terrorism and security analysis for Statfor said that this hostage-incident exhibits many of the elements associated with grassroots terrorism.[177] A criminologist said that the event "was not about religion and neither was it a terrorist attack but given that perception by the paraphernalia Monis used."[172]

Conversely, researcher Yassir Morsi suggested that "before he flew the black flag, Monis was just a desperate man with a violent past". That "he was just another gunman. ... the symbol (flag) rewrote Monis's violent past and gave grammar to his attack."[178]

Monis had entered the cafe without an ISIS flag.[34] ASIO's previous investigations had found no links between Monis and any terrorist group.[163]When a News reporter met him before the crises he thought Monis was "lost and confused" and "harmless".[179] Habib said Monis was "sick and disturbed" and desperately seeking attention over his grievances with government officials that had nothing to do with terrorism.[38]

It has been suggested that the police treatment of the siege as a terrorist attack may have been why they made no attempt to negotiate with the disturbed gunman as would have been normal practice in other hostage situations.[39] They may have used a crude rule that "we don't negotiate with terrorists".[164] It might also explain the use of high calibre weapons in a small enclosure against a lone gunman.[61] These factors may have directly led to the death of Johnson and Dawson.[164]

Insurance claims[edit]

For the benefit of Sydney businesses, the Government later declared the siege to be a "terrorist incident" for insurance purposes.[202] The declaration meant that affected businesses could claim insurance cover even if their insurance policies excluded acts of terrorism.[203]

Declared terrorist incident – Lindt Cafe
ARPC wishes to advise that the Treasurer has announced the following incident as a declared terrorist incident for the purposes of the Terrorism Insurance Act 2003 (TI Act), with no reduction percentage. This announcement was made on Thursday 15 January 2015.
Incident Detail
DateIncident CodeReduction Percentage
Lindt Café, Martin Place, Sydney15 December 2014141
not applicable
* A copy of the government’s official notice is available at http://jbh.ministers.treasury.gov.au/media-release/001-2015/ .

*Wikipedia

On 15–16 December 2014, a lone gunman, Man Haron Monis,[7][8] held hostage 17 customers and employees of a Lindt chocolate café located atMartin Place in Sydney, Australia. After a 16-hour standoff, during which areas of the Sydney central business district surrounding the site were cordoned off and nearby buildings locked down,[11] police officers from theTactical Operations Unit stormed the café upon hearing gunshots from inside.[12] One hostage was shot dead by the gunman, who in turn was shot dead by police. Another hostage died of a heart attack during transport to hospital.[2][13][14]
Early on, hostages were seen holding up a Jihadist black flag with the Islamic shahādah creed in Arabic.[15][16] Initially the media mistook it for the flag used by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).[17][16] The gunman, who had history of criminal charges including sexual assault, and who was to be tried as an accessory in his wife's murder, was described as having claimed "political motivation".[18][17]
Police treated the event as a terrorist attack and negotiated with Monis throughout the day.[19][20] About 50 Muslim groups issued a joint statement in which they condemned the incident.[21]

Events[edit]

Hostage-taking and negotiations[edit]


The Lindt Chocolate Café where the crisis took place, pictured in 2013

Hostages inside the Lindt Chocolate Café raising a Jihadist black flag at the beginning of the crisis.

Map indicating the location of the hostage situation. Martin Place is denoted in blue towards the center of the map.
The crisis began at 9:44 a.m. AEDT on 15 December (22:44 UTC, 14 December) when Monis entered the Lindt Chocolate Café at 53 Martin Place, Sydney.[22] The café is located directly across from the Seven News television studios, and nearby are the Reserve Bank of Australia, the headquarters of the Commonwealth Bank,Westpac bank, and Martin Place underground train station.
Hostages were seen holding up a jihadist black flag with the Arabic shahādah (an Islamic creed declaring, "There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is the messenger of God").[15][16] Some news reports initially mistook it for the flag used by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).[17]
Monis was described as bearded, wearing a white shirt and a black bandana, carrying a blue sports bag,[23] and armed with a shotgun.[6][17] One of the hostages was reportedly being used as a human shield by Monis.[24] Prior to the siege, the automatic sliding doors of the café were disabled.[25][26]
According to Sydney 2GB radio announcer Ray Hadley, Monis demanded to speak to the Prime Minister live on radio, although these reports are unconfirmed.[27] There were also further reports that Monis stated there were four "devices" located around Sydney. However, the New South Wales Police Commissioner, Andrew Scipione, stated that none of the alleged devices were found during investigations.[28]
Two female hostages made contact with media outlets and relayed Monis's demands to them, but the New South Wales Police Force requested that the demands not be published.[29][17] When his demands were published they included meeting theAustralian Prime Minister and receiving an ISIL flag.[30]

Escape of hostages[edit]

At around 3:37 p.m., two hostages emerged from the front entrance of the building, followed by a third hostage, an employee, who ran out from a fire exit at the side of the building. Media outlets advised that the hostages were not released, but had escaped, though details were not immediately available.[6][31] It was later confirmed by police that all three hostages escaped.[1]
At around 4:58 p.m., two female hostages, both employees, ran from another entrance of the building, having also escaped,[6] and were met by officers with the Tactical Operations Unit.[6]

Raid and end of siege[edit]

At 2:08 a.m. on 16 December, between five and seven additional hostages fled from the building.[32][23]
At 2:14 a.m., heavily armed Tactical Operations Unit police stormed the café following a barrage of flashbang grenades, after which further hostages ran from the building in two groups. The first emerged after the initial gunshots, while the second emerged after the following volley.[21][5][33] Police declared the siege over soon after,[34] later confirming that Monis died in the raid.[2]

Hostages[edit]

Initial estimates indicated that there could be as few as 13 or as many as 50 people inside the café.[6][35] Authorities did not release an estimate of the number of hostages inside the café during the siege. After the siege, a total of 17 hostages were confirmed.[36]
On 16 December, one hostage, 34-year-old Tori Johnson, the manager of the café, who tried to wrestle the gun from the killer was shot to death, and 38-year-old barrister Katrina Dawson died of a heart attack on transport to hospital.[37] Three others were wounded during the raid.[38] One of the wounded hostages, a woman in her forties, suffered a gunshot wound to the leg and was treated at the Royal North Shore Hospital.[39] Another hostage who initially escaped the scene was hospitalised for a pre-existing condition[40][39] and was in satisfactory condition.[17]
NSW Police released a statement on the condition of the injured victims. All are stable, and one has been discharged from hospital.[41]

Evacuations and closures[edit]

File:2014 Sydney hostage crisis, Martin Place.ogv
Martin Place video

Police blocking Martin Place near Lindt café

Road closures on King Street

Members of the public sign condolences books in Martin Place after the siege
After the siege began, people found above the café were evacuated by ladder.[42] TheSydney Opera House was evacuated after a suspicious package was found; however, reports were unconfirmed by police.[43][44] The US Consulate General in Sydney, located in Martin Place, was also evacuated.[45]
Police advised people in the area bounded by Hunter, George, Elizabeth, andMacquarie Streets, bordering Martin Place, to remain indoors and away from windows.[46] Commonwealth Bank, Westpac, and ANZ closed their CBD branches for the day.[21] The State Library was also closed.[47] Numerous other buildings, includingDavid Jones stores, executive offices for the New South Wales Parliament, criminal courts for the Supreme Court, the Downing Centre, and "several city legal chambers" were evacuated,[48] as were the facilities of the Seven Network, situated directly across from the café, forcing The Morning Show to suspend transmission.[49]
Some Sydney schools were put in "white level lockout" due to the hostage crisis, which meant that no school group was permitted to leave the school grounds.[15]
Trains did not stop at Martin Place railway station during the hostage situation.Transport New South Wales advised people to stay away from the CBD.[50] Road closures prevented southbound access to the Cahill Expressway, York Street, and Harbour Street, and northbound access to the Cahill Expressway, and all traffic was diverted to the Sydney Harbour Tunnel. On the morning of 16 December, road diversions remained in place and Martin Place train station remained closed.[51]
Uber's fares for travel in Sydney during the crisis increased dramatically under the company's "surge pricing" policy - pricing during periods of high demand, which led to online backlash against the company.[52]

Perpetrator[edit]

Main article: Man Haron Monis
Man Haron Monis, born in Iran, and also known as Mohammad Hassan Manteghi,[53]was identified as the perpetrator. Following the detention of his wife and children by Iranian authorities, he sought and was granted political asylum in Australia in 1996.[54][55][56] He was born to a Shia Muslim family, but later in life converted toSunni Islam. He was a self-proclaimed sheikh, not recognised as such in the Islamic community.[7][8] He was marginalised by Australian Muslim religious authorities and mosques, both Shia and Sunni, for his extremist views and problematic personal and criminal history. It appears he came to espouse an extreme Islamist ideology on his own, and police and intelligence agencies have not identified any connections between Haron and international terrorist organisations.[39]
Monis had an extensive record of prosecutions and criminal convictions, including accessory to murder before and after the fact (relating to the murder of his former wife), and other charges of sexual assault,[57][58] aggravated indecent assault,[53][58]common assault, and criminal use of the postal service to "menace, harass or cause offence".[59]
On 12 December 2014, only three days before the hostage crisis, his appeal was rejected by the High Court of Australia[36] in relation to his conviction for the criminal use of a carriage service to "menace, harass or cause offence". That conviction related to his protest against the presence of Australian troops in Afghanistan, which he expressed by sending letters to the families of soldiers killed there in which he called the soldiers murderers[60] and urged the soldiers' families to petition the government to remove its troops from Afghanistan. One of the letters compared a dead soldier to a pig and called his body "contaminated".[61] He also sent similar letters to the families of British soldiers and the mother[53] of a government official killed by a bombing in Jakarta, Indonesia. Monis was arrested on charges of "using a postal or similar service to menace, harass or cause offence", to which he pleaded guilty in 2013. He was reportedly sentenced to probation and 300 hours of community service. He was also banned from using the Australian postal service in 2010.[62][58][59] According to The Age, this conviction had consumed him for several years, and the hostage incident followed after he snapped at the unsuccessful, last-ditch attempt in the High Court to have that conviction overturned.[63]
On the day prior to the siege, Monis posted to his website:
"Islam is the religion of peace, that's why Muslims fight against the oppression and terrorism of USA and its allies including UK and Australia. If we stay silent towards the criminals we cannot have a peaceful society. The more you fight with crime, the more peaceful you are. Islam wants peace on the Earth, that's why Muslims want to stop terrorism of America and its allies. When you speak out against crime you have taken one step towards peace."[55]
He posted to his website earlier in December 2014 this message: "I used to be a Rafidi, but not any more. Now I am a Muslim,Alhamdu Lillah".[7] "Rafidi" is a derogatory term used by Salafis to describe the Shia branch of Islam.[64]

Reactions[edit]

Government[edit]

The Prime Minister of Australia, Tony Abbott, convened the National Security Committee of Cabinet to give briefings on the situation.[65][66][15] Abbott stated, "Australians should be reassured that our law enforcement and security agencies are well trained and equipped and are responding in a thorough and professional manner."[67] He later said, "The whole point of politically motivated violence is to scare people out of being themselves. Australia is a peaceful, open, and generous society. Nothing should ever change that and that's why I would urge all Australians today to go about their business as usual."[28]
The Premier of New South Wales, Mike Baird, addressed the media, stating "We are being tested today... in Sydney. The police are being tested, the public is being tested, but whatever the test we will face it head on and we will remain a strong democratic, civil society. I have full confidence in the Police Commissioner and the incredible work of the NSW police force."[21][68]
The Lord Mayor of Sydney, Clover Moore, on the morning of 16 December, urged Australians to see this as a "one-off event", stating "we're an inclusive multicultural community and we need to deal with this together".[69] Govenor-General of Australia, Sir Peter Cosgrove, released a statement sympathising with the families, commending the work of the police involved, and urging Australians to "unite in our resolve to protect what we value most – our way of life, our care and respect for each other".[70]
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham, condemned the hostage taking and stated "resorting to inhuman methods and causing horror was not acceptable under any circumstances especially in the name of religion."[71]

Community[edit]

Due to concerns about an anti-Muslim backlash and attacks, a grassroots movement named #illridewithyou was started on social media in order to physically and emotionally support Muslims travelling alone on public transport.[72][73][74]
On the morning of the siege, after police declared the crisis to be over, a makeshift memorial began to take shape on Martin Place. Prime Minister Abbott and NSW Premier Baird were some of many to lay flowers at the memorial. Flags on all NSW government buildings, including the Sydney Harbour Bridge, also flew at half-mast to honour those who lost their lives at the café.[75]

Muslim organisations[edit]

Sanier Dandan, president of the Lebanese Muslim Association, informed ABC News that Australian Muslim leaders were meeting online for discussions on how the Muslim community could help with the crisis. He also added that it was not known if the perpetrator or perpetrators were linked to the Australian Muslim community, saying, "Regardless we have a hostage situation. Whether he is someone who belongs to the Australian Muslim community or not, we are still waiting for information to be provided by police and based on that if there's something the Muslim community can do or assist, we are there."[76][77]Ibrahim Abu Mohamed, the Grand Mufti of Australia, also condemned the incident in a released statement.[21][78] During the afternoon of 15 December, around 50 Muslim groups issued a joint statement in which they condemned the incident.[21]

International[edit]

World leaders including United States President Barack Obama were briefed on the event.[79] A spokesman for the CanadianMinister of Foreign Affairs, John Baird, said, "We urge all Canadians in Sydney to use extra precaution and limit their movements as authorities handle this situation. We have offered Australia any assistance Canada can provide."[80]
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated "Such acts are inhuman and deeply unfortunate. I pray for everyone's safety."[81]The Israeli embassy in Australia stated that it stands with Australia in the face of terror and is closely monitoring the situation.[82] New Zealand Prime Minister John Key[83] and UK Prime Minister David Cameron[84] also expressed their concern about the siege.
Iran Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman, Marzieh Afkham, strongly condemned the taking of hostages as "inhuman", stating that the Australian authorities were repeatedly warned about Monis.[85][86]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

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  2. ^ Jump up to:a b c "Sydney siege ends in tragedy". Yahoo!7 News.Seven Network reporter Chris Reason.... said the two dead are the gunman and a hostage. The hostage was killed by the gunman.
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  10. Jump up^ On SMH the article states that "Mr Abbott was quite right not to call Monis's behaviour terrorism. It was a "brush with terrorism" and Monis had sought to "cloak his actions with the symbols of the ISIL death cult" was as far as the Prime Minister went"
  11. Jump up^ Thomsen, Simon (15 December 2014). "SYDNEY SIEGE: Here's What's Happening To The City As A Result".Business Insider Australia. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
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  13. Jump up^ Martin Place Siege 3:05pm 16 December 2014 [www.9news.com.au/National/2014/12/15/10/00/Major-police-operation-in-Sydneys-Martin-Place Martin Place Siege3:05pm 16 December, 2014Read more athttp://www.9news.com.au/national/2014/12/15/10/00/major-police-operation-in-sydneys-martin-place#.99 Hundreds lay floral tributes to Sydney siege victims]
  14. Jump up^ "Victims of Sydney siege hailed as heroes after they die protecting hostages: Katrina Dawson, barrister and mother of three, was killed alongside Tori Johnson, Lindt manager who tried to wrestle gun from shooter's hands" By Josie Ensor, and Jonathan Pearlman in Sydney 11:36PM GMT 15 December 2014 Telegraph.co.uk
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  43. Jump up^ "Sydney Siege: Up To 20 Hostages Held – Reports". Sky News. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  44. Jump up^ "Sydney Opera House evacuated after reports of a suspicious package". TVNZ. 15 December 2014. Retrieved15 December 2014.
  45. Jump up^ "US Consulate in Sydney near hostage cafe crisis evacuated, security warning issued". The Straits Times(Singapore Press Holdings Ltd). 15 December 2014. Retrieved 14 December 2014.
  46. Jump up^ "NSW Police on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 15 December2014.
  47. Jump up^ "State Library of NSW on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved15 December 2014.
  48. Jump up^ Police clear Martin Place after gunman holds hostages at Lindt Chocolat Cafe
  49. Jump up^ "Seven in 'lockdown' due to hostage crisis". The Australian. 15 December 2014. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  50. Jump up^ "Transport status alert - transportnsw.info". Retrieved15 December 2014.
  51. Jump up^ "Latest Media Releases". Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  52. Jump up^ "'What a shameful disgrace': Ridesharing app Uber forced to back down after outraged commuters found minimum fare had risen to $100 in middle of Sydney hostage crisis".Dailymail. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  53. ^ Jump up to:a b c Jonathan Pearlman in Sydney (15 December 2014)."Sydney siege gunman named as Man Haron Monis".Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  54. Jump up^ "BBC News – Profile: Man Haron Monis". BBC News. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  55. ^ Jump up to:a b "Police Name Sydney Hostage-Taker as 'Radical Cleric' Man Haron Monis"
  56. Jump up^ "New Cardinals for Rome, George Bush, Muslims in Australia". The Religion Report. Radio National. 31 January 2001. Retrieved 5 April 2013.
  57. Jump up^ ABC News (14 April 2014). "'Spiritual healer' refused bail over alleged 2002 sexual assaults at Wentworthville in Sydney's west". ABC News (abc.net.au). Retrieved 14 April2014.
  58. ^ Jump up to:a b c "Sydney Hostage Siege Ends With Gunman and 2 Captives Dead as Police Storm Cafe"
  59. ^ Jump up to:a b "Before the Sydney siege, alleged gunman Man Haron Monis faced sexual assault, murder conspiracy charges".Washington Post. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  60. Jump up^ AAP (6 September 2013). "Sheik says letters were flowers of advice". SBS News (sbs.com.au). Retrieved 8 February2014.
  61. Jump up^ "Casenote: Monis v The Queen [2013] HCA 4".humanrights.gov.au. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  62. Jump up^ Hoerr, Karl (22 November 2013). "'Hate mail' suspect protests against 'misinterpretation'". Lateline (abc.net.au). Retrieved 8 February 2014.
  63. Jump up^ "Sydney siege gunman Man Haron Monis was on bail for 40 sexual assault charges and accessory to murder". The Age.
  64. Jump up^ "A Quietist Jihadi". Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  65. Jump up^ "Abbott reassures Australians over Sydney siege". ITV News. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  66. Jump up^ "Incident in Martin Place, Sydney". Prime Minister of Australia Media. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  67. Jump up^ "Five Hostages Flee Lindt Chocolate Cafe in Sydney, Australia". NBC News. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  68. Jump up^ "Premier and Commissioner address the media re: Martin Place police operation". YouTube. Retrieved 15 December2014.
  69. Jump up^ "Live blog: Siege in Sydney's Martin Place- ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)". ABC News. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  70. Jump up^ "Live blog: Siege in Sydney's Martin Place". ABC News. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  71. Jump up^ "Analyst derides Australian government for letting criminal do freely". Islamic Republic News Agency. 16 December 2014. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  72. Jump up^ "#illridewithyou: Twitter sprouts anti-Islamophobia campaign". news.com.au. 15 December 2014. Retrieved15 December 2014.
  73. Jump up^ "Martin Place siege: #illridewithyou hashtag goes viral".Sydney Morning Herald. 15 December 2014. Retrieved15 December 2014.
  74. Jump up^ "#illridewithyou: support for Muslim Australians takes off following Sydney siege". ABC News. 15 December 2014. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  75. Jump up^ "Sydney siege: Amazing scenes as Sydneysiders empty florists to fill Martin Place with flowers". dailytelegraph.com.au. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  76. Jump up^ Post Publishing PCL. "Sydney hostage crisis: Live Report". http://www.bangkokpost.com. Retrieved15 December 2014.
  77. Jump up^ "Sydney hostage crisis: Live Report – Business Insider".Business Insider. 15 December 2014. Retrieved15 December 2014.
  78. Jump up^ "Sydney Hostage Crisis: Major Police Operation Unfolding". TIME.com. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  79. Jump up^ "Sydney siege: US president Barack Obama, British prime minister David Cameron briefed on Martin Place hostage situation". ABC News. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  80. Jump up^ "Canada closely monitors apparent hostage taking situation in Australia". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 15 December2014.
  81. Jump up^ "Sydney incident disturbing: PM Modi". The Times of India. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  82. Jump up^ "Israeli embassy in Australia closely following hostage crisis at Sydney cafe." Jerusalem Post. 15 December 2014.
  83. Jump up^ Key, John (15 December 2014). "Canada's thoughts and prayers are with our Australian friends. #MartinPlace #SydneySiege". Twitter. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  84. Jump up^ "David Cameron on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved15 December 2014.
  85. Jump up^ "Iran condemns actions of Iranian-born Sydney gunman Man Monis". 9news.au.com. 16 December 2014. Retrieved16 December 2014.
  86. Jump up^ Afkham, Marzieh. "وزارت خارجه ایران گروگانگیری سیدنی را محکوم کرد". Iranian Students News Agency. Retrieved16 December 2014.

External links[edit]

Man Haron Monis

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Man Haron Monis
BornMohammad-Hassan Manteghi Borujerdi[1]
1964
Borujerd, Iran
Died16 December 2014 (aged 50)
Sydney, Australia
Religion
Website
Man Haron Monis (1964 – 16 December 2014) was an Iranian-born Australianresident, and self-styled Muslim cleric,[2] who at the time of his death had recently converted from Shia Islam to Sunni Islam, and pledged his allegiance to the caliphate declared by Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.[3] He had sought political asylum in Australia in 1996 at the age of 32.[2] He was also known asSheikh Haron,[4] Mohammad Hassan Manteghi,[5] and Ayatollah Manteghi Boroujerdi.[6]
On 15 December 2014, Monis took hostages in a siege at the Lindt Chocolate Cafe in Sydney,[7] lasting until the early hours of the following morning; he was confirmed by police to be dead at the conclusion of the siege.[8][9]

Life in Iran and emigration to Australia[edit]

Monis was born in Iran. He had sought political asylum in Australia in 1996. In 2001, using the name Ayatollah Manteghi Boroujerdi,[6] he claimed in an interview with ABC Radio National's The Religion Report, that he had been involved with the Iranian ministry of intelligence and security, and that his criticism of the regime and secret information he possessed had resulted in his persecution as well as the detention of his wife and children.[10] In November 2000 he chained himself to a pole at Parliament House, Sydney and went on a one-day hunger strike to draw attention to his cause.[11][12]
The London-based Persian TV channel Manoto 1 reported that Monis had been working as the managing director of a tourism agency in Iran, and had fled Iran after taking US$200,000 of his customers' money. The same source reported that he was protected from extradition by his refugee status.[13]
According to BBC Persian, he published his poem book, "Inside and out" (Persian: درون و برون‎) in 1996 in Iran. The book is available on Amazon.com.[14]

Criminal record in Iran[edit]

Esmaeil Ahmadi-Moghaddam, Iran's Chief Police told reporters that Monis had "a dark and long history of violent crime andfraud" in Iran and had run a travel agency in 1996, before fleeing to Malaysia and then Austrailia. “It lasted 4 years to collect evidence on Manteghi [Harun]’s identification documents and we reported this to the Australian police but since Australia has no extradition treaty with Iran, they didn’t extradite him to Iran”.[15]
Iran's official news agency, IRNA states that he was "under prosecution by the Interpol" and Iran provided information to theAustralian government about his criminal record, mental and spiritual status. Despite this, he was granted asylum in Australia.[16]
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham, wondered about the Australian government taking his criminal status "completely clear", after several discussions.[16]

Allegations of fabricated cleric status[edit]

In late 2007, Australian Federation of Islamic Councils head Ikebal Patel said none of Islamic community leaders knows anything about Harun and they belive he "could be a fake deliberately stirring up anti-Islamic sentiment".[17]
On January 28, 2008, Austrailia's senior Shia leader, Kamal Mousselmani, told The Australian that Harun "was not a genuine Shia spiritual leader" and "there are no ayatollahs in Australia." He urged the Federal officials to investigate his identity. "From the way he writes his fatwas (or religious edicts), I don't think he is Shia Muslim", he added.[18]

Hate mail campaign[edit]

Monis, together with a colleague, Amirah Droudis, undertook a campaign protesting against the presence of Australian troops in Afghanistan, by writing letters to the families of soldiers killed there, in which he called the soldiers murderers,[19] and urged the soldiers' families to petition the government to remove its troops from Afghanistan. According to justice Heydon of the High Court, the letters compared "the (deceased soldier) son to a pig and to a dirty animal. It calls the son's body 'contaminated'. It refers to it as 'the dirty body of a pig'. It describes Hitler as not inferior to the son in moral merit".[20] Monis was arrested on charges of "using a postal or similar service to menace, harass or cause offence".[21]
On 10 November 2009, Monis appeared in court and claimed through his lawyers to be a peace activist. He later chained himself to the courthouse in protest over the charges.[22] Monis was subsequently barred by the courts from expanding his protest to include letters to UK soldiers' families.[23]
In December 2011, Monis appeared before the Court of Criminal Appeal in Sydney arguing that the charges against him were invalid because they infringed on his implied constitutional freedom of political communication, but the three-judge panel unanimously dismissed his case.[24]
Upon further appeal to the High Court of Australia, the six-judge panel split 3–3 over the issue.[25] Although the High Court of Australia normally comprises seven judges, one seat was vacant and as yet unfilled at the time Monis's case appeared before the court. Failing to achieve a majority vote in Monis's favour, the lower court's unanimous decision was left to stand.[26]

Murder case[edit]

On 15 November 2013, Monis was charged by NSW Police with being an accessory before and after the fact to the murder of his ex-wife Noleen Hayson Pal, allegedly stabbed and set alight in a Werrington apartment stairwell on 21 April 2013. Haron's colleague, Amirah Droudis, was formally charged with Pal's murder.[27]
On 12 December 2013, Monis and Amirah were given bail at Penrith Local Court. Magistrate Darryl Pearce said there were significant flaws in the Crown's case against the pair. "It is a weak case" he said.[28] Prosecutor Brian Royce said Monis's claims that the Iranian Secret Police and ASIO were trying to frame him for the murder were fanciful. Magistrate Pearce said all theories needed to be examined.[29]
On 22 January 2014, Monis appeared at Parramatta Local Court and, after informing magistrate Joan Baptie that he was representing himself, began discussing documents that he claimed were held by ASIO. He also claimed that ASIO was 'conspiring against him' as they wanted him jailed. Magistrate Baptie told Monis that she had no power to order the release of documents held by ASIO and 'advised him to stop talking because he would harm his defence'. Monis staged a protest outside the court, following the adjournment of the case, 'wearing chains and holding a sign claiming he has been tortured in custody'. He was quoted as saying: "This is not a criminal case. This is a political case."[4]

Sexual assault charges[edit]

On 14 March 2014, Monis was arrested and charged with sexually and indecently assaulting a young woman who went to his consultancy in Wentworthville, New South Wales, for "spiritual healing", after seeing an advertisement in a local newspaper. Monis claimed he was an expert in "astrology, numerology, meditation and black magic" services.[30]
On 13 October 2014, a further 40 charges were added, including 22 counts of aggravated sexual assault and 14 counts of aggravated indecent assault, allegedly committed against six more women who had visited his business.[31]

Conversion to Sunni Islam[edit]

Monis is believed to have recently converted from Shia Islam to Sunni Islam.[3][32] An announcement on his now-suspended website, posted a week before the Sydney siege, stated: "I used to be a Rafidi, but not any more. Now I am a Muslim,Alhamdu Lillah."[7][33] Rafidi, which means “one who rejects” in Arabic, 'is typically used by Sunnis to denigrate Shias as non-Muslim'.[34] Monis also used his website to pledge allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, leader of the the Islamic State whose 'main enemies' are the Shi'a.[35]

Hostage-taking and death[edit]

Main article: 2014 Sydney hostage crisis
On the morning of 15 December 2014, Monis took employees and customers hostage at a Lindt chocolate café at Martin Place, Sydney, across from a television studio. Hostages were seen being made to hold up a Black Standard Islamic flag with the shahādah (Islamic statement of faith) written in white Arabic text.[36]
Neighbouring buildings, including government offices and financial institutions, plus Martin Place railway station were evacuated and locked down. Some hostages managed to escape. The event lasted over 16 hours before police tactical officers stormed the café in the early hours of the following morning[37][38] and Monis was confirmed by police to have died in the ensuing confrontation.[39] Two of the hostages also died, several others were wounded, and a policeman suffered minor injuries.[39][40]
In a website posting prior to the hostage incident, he denied all the charges against him and called them politically motivated,[2]accusing the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation as being responsible for framing him.[5]

Criticism of politicians[edit]

Monis has used social media to attack politicians including current Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott and former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. His criticisms of Abbott, from 2013, related to Australia's military presence in Afghanistan. On 5 December 2014, he referred to a statement made by Rudd on changing immigration laws after Monis had been charged with seven counts of harassment. Before it was taken down, on 15 December 2014, Monis's Facebook account had 14,000 "likes".[41]

References[edit]

  1. Jump up^ Rahimpour, Rana (15 December 2014). "A Bloody End to 16 Hours of Hostage taking in Sydney". BBC Persian (in Persian). Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  2. ^ Jump up to:a b c "Man Haron Monis: 'Damaged' and 'unstable'". BBC. 2014-12-16. Retrieved 2014-12-16.
  3. ^ Jump up to:a b Safi, Michael; Quinn, Ben (2014-12-16). "Man Haron Monis: fringe figure whose crime record and erratic behaviour made him notorious". The Guardian. Retrieved 2014-12-16.
  4. ^ Jump up to:a b McNally, Lucy (2014-01-22). "Controversial Sheikh Haron faces accessory to ex-wife's murder charge". ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation). Retrieved2014-12-16.
  5. ^ Jump up to:a b Jonathan Pearlman in Sydney (15 December 2014)."Sydney siege gunman named as Man Haron Monis".www.telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  6. ^ Jump up to:a b Elliot, Tim (2014-12-16). "Martin Place gunman deranged, deluded and dangerous". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2014-12-16.
  7. ^ Jump up to:a b Ralston, Nick. "Martin Place, Sydney siege gunman identified as Man Haron Monis". The Age. Retrieved15 December 2014.
  8. Jump up^ Trute, Peter (2014-12-16). "Grieving Sydney shows heart after siege". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved2014-12-16.
  9. Jump up^ Benjamin, Shanthi (2014-12-16). "Sydney siege: Gunman, two hostages dead after siege ends". Special Broadcasting Service. Retrieved 2014-12-16.
  10. Jump up^ "New Cardinals for Rome, George Bush, Muslims in Australia". The Religion Report (Radio National). 31 January 2001. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  11. Jump up^ Ruse, Ben (23 November 2000). "Heat Puts Paid To Iran Cleric's Hunger Strike". The West Australian. Armed with just a sleeping bag and some bottled water, Iranian immigrant Ayatollah Manteghi Boroujerdi had chained himself to a pole yesterday afternoon. He hoped the protest would convince the Iranian Government to let him see his two daughters for the first time in four years.
  12. Jump up^ Fife-Yeomans, Janet (22 October 2009). "The mystery mufti is no great sheik --- Australians at war". The Daily Telegraph.As Ayatollah Manteghi Boroujerdi, the tall, bearded Iranian chained himself to the railings outside the NSW Parliament in Macquarie St where he lived in a tent for several weeks in a bid to persuade the Federal Government to put pressure on Iran to let his family join him in Australia. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  13. Jump up^ Azizi, Arash. "Exclusive: The Sydney hostage-taker had fled Iran after a $200K fraud case". Manoto 1. Retrieved16 December 2014.
  14. Jump up^ "Who was the main suspect of the hostage?". BBC Persian (in Persian). 15 December 2014. Retrieved16 December 2014.
  15. Jump up^ "Iran’s Interpol ready to cooperate on Sydney case".Mehr News Agency. 16 December 2014. Retrieved16 December 2014.
  16. ^ Jump up to:a b "Analyst derides Australian government for letting criminal do freely". Islamic Republic News Agency. 16 December 2014. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  17. Jump up^ Kerbaj, Richard (December 28, 2007). "Sheik 'faked' to stir up ill-feeling". The Australian. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  18. Jump up^ Kerbaj, Richard (January 28, 2008). "Call to probe mystery Shia cleric". The Australian. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  19. Jump up^ Staff (6 September 2013). "Sheik says letters were flowers of advice". SBS News (www.sbs.com.au). Retrieved8 February 2014.
  20. Jump up^ "Casenote: Monis v The Queen [2013] HCA 4".https://www.humanrights.gov.au. Retrieved 15 December2014.
  21. Jump up^ Hoerr, Karl (22 November 2013). "'Hate mail' suspect protests against 'misinterpretation'". Lateline(www.abc.net.au). Retrieved 8 February 2014.
  22. Jump up^ AAP (10 November 2009). "Controversial Sheik in chains outside court". SBS News (www.sbs.com.au). Retrieved8 February 2014.
  23. Jump up^ AAP (9 February 2010). "Sheik banned from sending offensive mail". SBS News (www.sbs.com.au). Retrieved8 February 2014.
  24. Jump up^ AAP (6 December 2011). "Cleric loses appeal over dead soldier hate mail". ABC News (www.abc.net.au). Retrieved8 February 2014.
  25. Jump up^ Carrick, Damien (5 March 2013). "High court divided on freedom of speech". Law Report (www.abc.net.au). Retrieved 8 February 2014.
  26. Jump up^ Byrne, Elizabeth (27 February 2013). "High Court dismisses appeal over letters to dead soldiers' families". ABC News(www.abc.net.au). Retrieved 8 February 2014.
  27. Jump up^ AAP (22 November 2013). "Self-styled Muslim sheikh faces court on accessory to murder charge". ABC News(abc.net.au). Retrieved 8 February 2014.
  28. Jump up^ AAP (12 December 2013). "Murder case against Man Haron Monis and partner weak: magistrate". The Australian(theaustralian.com.au). Retrieved 8 February 2014.
  29. Jump up^ News Limited (13 December 2013). "Hate sheikh Man Haron Monis and girlfriend Amirah Droudis granted bail on murder charges". The Telegraph News(dailytelegraph.com.au). Retrieved 8 February 2014.
  30. Jump up^ ABC News (14 April 2014). "'Spiritual healer' refused bail over alleged 2002 sexual assaults at Wentworthville in Sydney's west". ABC News (abc.net.au). Retrieved 14 April2014.
  31. Jump up^ "40 more charges against 'spiritual healer'". Sky News Australia. 2014-10-13. Retrieved 2014-12-16.
  32. Jump up^ Everything We Know Now About the Sydney Hostage-Taker, nymag.com.
  33. Jump up^ "Who was Sydney gunman Man Haron Monis?". Channel 4. 2014-12-15. Retrieved 2014-12-16.
  34. Jump up^ Berkovic, Nicola; Klan, Anthony (2014-12-15). "Gunman Man Haron Monis was ‘damaged’ self-styled Muslim cleric".The Australian. Retrieved 2014-12-16.
  35. Jump up^ Mamouri, Ali (2014-12-16). "Sydney siege shows the rise of a new form of extremism". The Conversation (website). Retrieved 2014-12-16.
  36. Jump up^ "Seven in 'lockdown' due to hostage crisis". news.com.au. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  37. Jump up^ Franklin, Daniel (15 December 2014). "Live blog: Siege in Sydney's Martin Place". ABC News. Retrieved15 December 2014.
  38. Jump up^ "Sydney cafe siege: Australia police storm building". BBC News. 15 December 2014.
  39. ^ Jump up to:a b "Sydney siege: Two hostages and gunman dead after heavily armed police storm Lindt cafe in Martin Place". ABC News. 16 December 2014. Retrieved 15 December 2014.Two hostages and the gunman at the centre of a 16-hour siege at a cafe in Sydney's CBD have been shot dead, police have confirmed.
  40. Jump up^ "Critical incident established following Martin Place siege"(Press release). Sydney: New South Wales Police Force. 16 December 2014. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  41. Jump up^ Wroe, David; Massola, James; Aston, Heath (2014-12-16)."Martin Place siege: Man Haron Monis has long history of hatred of politicians". The Age. Retrieved 2014-12-16.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to 2014 Sydney hostage crisis.

External links[edit]


*Sources

  1. 3 killed including suspect killed December 15, 2014 Cafe manager, WSU alumnus, hailed as hero in hostage siege Tori Johnson, 34, attended Washington State University in 2002 and 2003 to study hospitality business management. He reportedly died while trying to wrest the shotgun from the gunman in the Sydney, Australia, siege. December 15-16 , 2014 Australian leader mourns for siege victims Tearful Australians laid mounds of flowers at the site where two of 17 hostages were killed Tuesday when police swooped into a cafe to rescue them from a gunman -- an Iranian-born self-styled cleric described by the prime minister as a deeply disturbed person carrying out a "sick fantasy." main: Australia Iranian Sheik Holds Chocolate Shop Hostage with ISIS flag

December 15, 2014, - 8:59 am

Man Haron Monis: The Sydney Siege, the Religion of Peace, Starbucks Gun Control & Michelle Malkin’s Islam Flag By Debbie Schlussel   Of course, the Muslim community is insisting that this isn’t Islam (and yet they cheer it when Muslims do this in Israel or to Israeli embassies and Jewish synagogues). So, I’ve coined a new term for these Muslims, whose very Muslim behavior and acts the Muslim community insists are “unIslamic.” “Undocumented” Muslim. Man Haron Monis, the West’s latest “undocumented” Muslim terrorist. G-d bless his poor victims and their families. ... Yup, I wondered, probably like you, if the gunman is Muslim. And sure enough, he is... made them hold up a flag bearing the Shehadah, the Islamic oath of martyrdom,...one has to laugh at Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott, leader of the Liberal Party, since yesterday he told the media that he and the Aussie government were unaware of what the motive of the hostage taker might be. Uh, Islam, moron. various Muslim leaders throughout Australia condemning the hostage-taking siege and claiming it has nothing to do with Islam...every single rape and torture of women in the name of Islam, every single hijacking or shooting massacre in the name of Islam, and now this cafe siege in the name of Islam, has “nothing to do with Islam,”.. We are all Israel. We are all Sydney... It WILL happen here. And then there is faux-“conservative”

Same goes for FOX News’ resident faux-“moderate” Muslim Mohammed Zuhdi Jasser, who also trolled the British press, defending Malik’s jihad and attacking me for exposing it, a la pedophiliac Malkin. He praised the Shehadah because it’s the core of his religion–those words on that flag in the siege at the Lindt shop.

We know what the motive of the gunman in the Lindt cafe is: Islam and its tenet of jihad. We know who he is: a Muslim. We know that the Aussies are doing Cirque de Soleil-level acrobatics and contortions to dance away from admitting that. They Aussies won’t say the name of the suspect and have asked the media not to report it. Why? Is it Mohammed? They have already started laying the groundwork for the Halal Twinkie Defense (that he’s just a nutty guy who “superimposed” his mental illness on Islam; funny how that happens a lot). They’ve said he’s known to police.

But forget all that. This guy isn’t crazy. He’s Muslim.

And every single Muslim in America or your neck of the West can and may do this to you at the cafe where you eat, at the supermarket where you shop, at the restaurant where you eat.

All Muslims are capable of jihad. And many Muslims carry it out. They are in your midst and they are your “neighbors” and “friends.” And they are potential jihadists.

Got that?


  1. Man Haron Monis: 'Damaged' and 'unstable'
    BBC News‎ - 4 hours ago
    Police have identified the man who took 17 people hostage at a Lindt cafe in Sydney's ...

    2. More news for "man haron monis"

  2. Sydney Hostage Taker Man Haron Monis Had History of ...

    abcnews.go.com › International
    ABC News
    10 hours ago - 15, 2014, shows Muslim cleric Man Haron Monis arriving to the Downing Centre after a pre-trial hearing of his case in Sydney, Australia, April ...

  3. Sheikh Haron - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheikh_Haron

    Wikipedia
    Bourjerdi fled Iran to Australia in 1996 as a refugee, and changed his name to Man Haron Monis, assuming the title of Sheikh Haron. On 16 December 2014, ...
    ‎"Hate mail" campaign - ‎Murder case - ‎Sexual assault case - ‎Bikie Case

  4. Before the Sydney siege, alleged gunman Man Haron ...

    www.washingtonpost.com/.../before-he-took-hostages...
    The Washington Post
    12 hours ago - Videos posted to YouTube show Man Haron Monis, the man who is a suspect in the cafe hostage standoff in Sydney, Australia, wearing chains ...

  5. Read More on Jihadist Muslim (redundant phrase) Man ...

    https://plus.google.com/.../posts/8JZpbAw8KPo

    Debbie Schlussel
    17 hours ago - Read More on Jihadist Muslim (redundant phrase) Man Haron Monis and the "Consevative" Who Praised the Jihadism on His Islamic Flag . . .

  6. Man Haron Monis, Iranian Refugee, Named As Sydney ...

    www.huffingtonpost.com/.../man-haron-monis-syria...

    The Huffington Post
    1 day ago - The Sydney Morning Herald takes a detailed look into the criminal background of hostage taker Man Haron Monis and the different charges ...

  7. Man Haron Monis: 7 Facts About Sydney's 'Sheik' Gunman

    time.com/3634388/man-haron-monis-sydney/

    Time
    16 hours ago - Hostage-taker identified as Man Haron Monis Man Haron Monisarrives at the Downing Centre after a pretrial hearing of his case in Sydney on ...

  8. Who is Australian hostage taker Man Haron Monis? - NY ...

    www.nydailynews.com/.../australian-hostage-taker-man-monis-a...
    Daily News
    1 day ago - The gunman who held up to 15 people hostage in a Sydney cafe before being reportedly killed has been named as Sheikh Man Haron Monis, ...

  9. Sydney gunman identified as Iranian-born Man Haron ...

    rt.com/news/214547-sydney-hostage-gunman-identified/

    RT
    23 hours ago - Sheik Man Haron Monis, an Islamic 'spiritual healer' who is facing charges of sexual assault and being an accessory to murder, has been ...

  10. Man Haron Monis: fringe figure whose crime record and ...

    www.theguardian.com › World › Australia › Sydney siege

    The Guardian
    18 hours ago - Until his entry into the global media spotlight as the shadowy figure at the centre of the Sydney siege, Man Haron Monis had long been viewed .

3 killed including suspect killed December 15, 2014 Cafe manager, WSU alumnus, hailed as hero in hostage siege Tori Johnson, 34, attended Washington State University in 2002 and 2003 to study hospitality business management. He reportedly died while trying to wrest the shotgun from the gunman in the Sydney, Australia, siege.

December 15-16 , 2014 Australian leader mourns for siege victims Tearful Australians laid mounds of flowers at the site where two of 17 hostages were killed Tuesday when police swooped into a cafe to rescue them from a gunman -- an Iranian-born self-styled cleric described by the prime minister as a deeply disturbed person carrying out a "sick fantasy." main: Australia Iranian Sheik Holds Chocolate Shop Hostage with ISIS flag

 http://cnsnews.com/news/article/patrick-goodenough/two-hostages-iranian-born-terrorist-killed-sydney-siege-ends

According to his web page, which has now been taken down, Monis accused the U.S. and its allies of “terrorism.”

“Islam is the religion of peace, that’s why Muslims fight against the oppression and terrorism of USA and allies including UK and Australia,” the page says. “If we stay silent towards the criminals we can not have a peaceful society.”

The web page also suggests Monis rejected his Shi’ite heritage.

“I used to be a Rafidi, but not anymore. Now I am a Muslim, Alhamdu Lillah,” he wrote in an entry dated December 2014.

A “rafidi” is a derogatory term Salafi Sunnis use for Shi’ites. “Alhamdu Lillah” means “all praise and thanks to Allah.”

Police in Sydney: 3 dead in raid to free captives held by Iranian-born gunman

Washington Post - ‎32 minutes ago‎
In a blitz-style assault early Tuesday, Australian riot police ended a 16-hour hostage crisis as frightened captives rushed onto the streets amid intense gunfire that fatally wounded the self-styled Muslim cleric who held them.
Sydney »Police »
Sydney Siege Ends in Shootout With Gunman, Two Hostages Killed
Who was Sydney hostage taker 'Sheikh Haron'? (+video)
Martin Place siege: What we know and don't know about Lindt Cafe hostage crisis
Sydney siege ends; 3 dead, including gunman
Sydney siege live: Video shows the moment heavily armed police officers enter ...
2014 Sydney hostage crisis

The Sydney Morning Herald
1 hour ago  -  Google+
Sydney siege gunman Man Maron Monis was on bail on two separate and serious matters: more than 40 sexual assault charges involving seven alleged victims; and as an accessory to the murder of his former partner.
Sydney siege gunman Man Haron Monis was on bail for 40 sexual assault charges...

Police Storm Sydney Café, End Siege by Self-Styled Sheikh; 

Daily Mail: Sydney Siege Ends as Police Storm Cafe

Within seconds, they had blasted open the cafe door and opened fire with automatic weapons, also hurling what appeared to be stun grenades. The sounds of explosions echoed through the city, and the flashes of rifle fire and the grenades lit up the area.
The gunfight lasted less than two minutes, and more hostages appeared to emerge after the police raid.
As the scene calmed down, a bomb disposal robot was seen entering the cafe. 
The dramatic end to the siege came as the gunman holding the remaining captives was revealed as a self-proclaimed Islamic cleric Man Haron Monis.
Monis is a 49-year-old man living in southwest Sydney, but is originally from Iran and a self-proclaimed sheik, and also sent hate mail to the families of Australian dead soldiers between 2007 and 2009, according to The Daily Telegraph.
The seige in the Lindt cafe in Martin Place on Monday follows an unsuccessful attempt to have these charges overturned in the High Court on Friday, The Age reported.
Monis received 300 community service hours and a two-year good behaviour bond for the correspondence, which he claims were his version of sympathy cards, sent with the help from his girlfriend Amirah Droudis.
Arriving as a refugee in Australia in 1996, the hostage-taker was charged as an accessory to the murder of his ex-wife - who was allegedly stabbed and set on fire on a flight of stairs in her western Sydney apartment block in November 2013.
The man's current partner was charged with murder but they both received bail as the case was deemed too weak. 



BREAKING NEWS: Two reportedly dead, 'including gunman', as police open fire and storm Sydney cafe with stun grenades as hostages flee in terror  Police stormed the cafe in central Sydney where a gunman held hostages for more than 16 hours
Police moved in firing automatic weapons and throwing grenades as hostages were seen fleeing in terror from cafe
Live TV footage showed hostages running frantically from the cafe at shortly after 2am in small groups
It came hours after Man Haron Monis was named as the gunman holding people hostage in a Sydney café
Iranian refugee, 49, was charged with accessory in the murder of his ex-wife
He was also facing multiple charges of sexual assault while claiming to be a 'spiritual healer'
Monis received 300 community service hours for sending hate mail to the families of Australian dead soldiers
The seige follows an unsuccessful attempt to have these charges overturned in the High Court on Friday
He forced hostages to hold up black flag with white writing in Arabic, an emblem linked to terror groups
By EMILY CRANE and DANIEL PIOTROWSKI   and SARAH DEAN   and LOUISE CHEER   and CANDACE SUTTON FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA and LEESA SMITH   and HEATHER MCNAB
PUBLISHED: 18:06 EST, 14 December 2014 | UPDATED: 11:53 EST, 15 December 2014
The gunman who held hostage at least a dozen people for up to 17 hours, is one of two reportedly killed in a dramatic shoot-out at a Sydney cafe during the early hours of Tuesday which abruptly ended the seige.
Police fired automatic weapons and lobbed stun grenades before storming the Lindt cafe in Martin Place in the heart of the city's central business district.
There were that at least three others were injured, but this could not immediately be confirmed.
Live television coverage showed at least two people being taken away from the scene on stretchers. One hostage was seen being carried out of the building. She appeared to be in pain, and blood flowed down her legs.
Nine News reported that eleven hostages had been accounted for after the police raid, which occurred shortly after 2am.

IJ review calls it terrorism















13 people reportedly being held hostage inside Sydney chocolate shop

I thought you might be interested in this article:
An armed gunman has taken up to 13 people hostage inside a chocolate shop in Sydney while forcing two people to hold what appears to be a black flag with white Arabic writing on it, Sky News Australia reports.

The U.S. Consulate in Sydney was evacuated Monday after a gunman walked into a chocolate shop into the city's central business district and took an unknown number of people hostage.

sydney hostage

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ONGOING SYDNEY HOSTAGE CRISIS “Australian police locked down the center of the country's biggest city on Monday after an armed man walked into a downtown Sydney cafe, took hostages and forced them to display an Islamic flag, igniting fears of a jihadist attack. Police said they knew of one armed assailant involved in the incident at the Lindt chocolate cafe in the heart of Sydney's financial district, but there could be more.” The assaliant reportedly has asked for an ISIS flag and conversation with Prime Minister Tony Abbott. At the beginning of the crisis, Uberjacked up its prices. You can follow The Sydney Morning Herald’s live feed for the latest updates. [Reuters]

Terrified hostages seen inside Sydney cafe as suspected jihadist 's standoff enters 12th hour

Five people have escaped from a cafe in central Sydney where an armed gunman had taken several people hostage Monday and forced two people to hold up a black flag bearing Islamic slogans written in Arabic in the store's window.
The Librarians 12/14/2014: plot line - students are mysteriously missing. Since they are widely scattered cities, there is no reason for any local authority to suspect a connection .The only connection is our professor here has found all the news stories on the internet and put them in front of us.

Auburn freshman football player Jakell Mitchell shot and killed

I thought you might be interested in this article:
Auburn freshman football player Jakell Lenard Mitchell was shot and killed Sunday morning at an apartment complex near the Auburn University campus, police and news reports said.

Gunman takes hostages inside Sydney chocolate shop, Islamic flag seen

I thought you might be interested in this article:
Part of Australia's largest city was on lockdown Monday afternoon after an armed gunman took several people hostage and forced two people to hold what appeared to be a black flag with white Arabic writing on it in the store's window.

"We don't know whether this is politically motivated, although obviously there are some indications that it could be," he said.

A major police operation was under way Monday morning in Sydney in response to a reported hostage situation.

CNN affiliate Seven Network said that hostages are being held at the Lindt Chocolate Cafe.

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott told reporters Monday that authorities do not know the motivation of the person responsible for the ongoing hostage situation in Sydney.

"We don't know whether this is politically motivated, although obviously there are some indications that it could be," he said.

Get complete coverage of breaking news on CNN TV, CNN.com and CNN Mobile.

Mysterious Death of Obama Critic and Reporter on Bin Laden’s Death and Ferguson Labeled Suicide - Freedom Outpost



From USA TODAY
Major police operation unfolding in Sydney

Hostages held in downtown Sydney; Islamic flag displayed - CBS News


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