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| Police had no choice but to shoot Numan Haider, inquest hears | Police had no choice but to shoot Numan Haider, inquest hears |
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| Police officers had no choice but to shoot Numan Haider, the 18-year-old who stabbed two Victorian police officers outside a police station on 23 September 2014, a coroner has been told at the opening of an inquest into his death. | Police officers had no choice but to shoot Numan Haider, the 18-year-old who stabbed two Victorian police officers outside a police station on 23 September 2014, a coroner has been told at the opening of an inquest into his death. |
| Haider died instantly after he was shot in the head by one of the officers as he was crouching over and stabbing the other officer outside the Endeavour Hills police station. | Haider died instantly after he was shot in the head by one of the officers as he was crouching over and stabbing the other officer outside the Endeavour Hills police station. |
| The counsel assisting the coroner, Rachel Ellyard, told the coroner, John Olle, that, in assessing Haider’s death and whether it could have been avoided, it would be more useful to consider Haider’s actions and interactions with police, including those from the joint counter-terrorism unit, and Asio officers, in the weeks leading up to his death. | The counsel assisting the coroner, Rachel Ellyard, told the coroner, John Olle, that, in assessing Haider’s death and whether it could have been avoided, it would be more useful to consider Haider’s actions and interactions with police, including those from the joint counter-terrorism unit, and Asio officers, in the weeks leading up to his death. |
| The inquest into Haider’s death, which began on Monday before Victoria’s county court, is expected to last for 12 days, with statements from 155 witnesses forming part of the brief. Haider’s family members and friends will give evidence, with his brother and father present in the courtroom on Monday to hear Ellyard’s opening address. | The inquest into Haider’s death, which began on Monday before Victoria’s county court, is expected to last for 12 days, with statements from 155 witnesses forming part of the brief. Haider’s family members and friends will give evidence, with his brother and father present in the courtroom on Monday to hear Ellyard’s opening address. |
| Ellyard said that while there was a religious and political element to Haider’s actions which could not be ignored, the case was highly susceptible to unfair targeting of both Muslims and police officers, which must be avoided. | Ellyard said that while there was a religious and political element to Haider’s actions which could not be ignored, the case was highly susceptible to unfair targeting of both Muslims and police officers, which must be avoided. |
| “This inquest starts from an open premise,” Ellyard said. “A young man has died and the circumstances of his death need to be understood so similar deaths can be avoided. Of course, his [Haider’s] own actions form part of this.” | “This inquest starts from an open premise,” Ellyard said. “A young man has died and the circumstances of his death need to be understood so similar deaths can be avoided. Of course, his [Haider’s] own actions form part of this.” |
| Haider was the youngest of three boys and his family emigrated to Australia from Afghanistan when he was seven years old, the court heard. He came from a loving family that valued education and, at the time of his death, Haider had finished his secondary education and was thinking of starting an apprenticeship at TAFE. | Haider was the youngest of three boys and his family emigrated to Australia from Afghanistan when he was seven years old, the court heard. He came from a loving family that valued education and, at the time of his death, Haider had finished his secondary education and was thinking of starting an apprenticeship at TAFE. |
| Ellyard told the coroner that Haider had a wide circle of friends, who spoke of him being a kind and good person. | Ellyard told the coroner that Haider had a wide circle of friends, who spoke of him being a kind and good person. |
| But they were also concerned that he had been increasingly frequenting a mosque with “more extreme views”, she said, and this attendance had also come to the attention of law enforcement, which believed he might pose a risk to international security as well as to senior political figures. Haider also applied to have his passport renewed so that he could go overseas with his family to Europe and Afghanistan, with the trip partly intended to help find him a wife. | But they were also concerned that he had been increasingly frequenting a mosque with “more extreme views”, she said, and this attendance had also come to the attention of law enforcement, which believed he might pose a risk to international security as well as to senior political figures. Haider also applied to have his passport renewed so that he could go overseas with his family to Europe and Afghanistan, with the trip partly intended to help find him a wife. |
| But, despite paying for an express passport to have his application processed more quickly, the passport did not come, the coroner heard. Haider called the passport office and eventually learned the application was placed on hold. | But, despite paying for an express passport to have his application processed more quickly, the passport did not come, the coroner heard. Haider called the passport office and eventually learned the application was placed on hold. |
| On 17 September 2014, a large-scale counter-terrorism raid took place in Sydney, widely reported by the media. That same day, Haider went to Dandenong plaza bearing a Shahada flag bearing a basic statement of Islamic faith but which has been co-opted by some extremist groups and used by them as a symbol of their identity. | On 17 September 2014, a large-scale counter-terrorism raid took place in Sydney, widely reported by the media. That same day, Haider went to Dandenong plaza bearing a Shahada flag bearing a basic statement of Islamic faith but which has been co-opted by some extremist groups and used by them as a symbol of their identity. |
| Police stopped and spoke to him and Haider told them that, while he was not going to blow up the Dandenong shopping centre “today”, police “would pay” for the terrorism raids. | Police stopped and spoke to him and Haider told them that, while he was not going to blow up the Dandenong shopping centre “today”, police “would pay” for the terrorism raids. |
| “The police did not even search me,” he boasted to friends. “If I had a knife I would have stabbed them.” | “The police did not even search me,” he boasted to friends. “If I had a knife I would have stabbed them.” |
| That night, Haider changed his Facebook photo to a picture of himself in camouflage and holding the Shahada flag. His Facebook friends questioned why he had changed his photo and he replied that police and Asio “dogs” had declared war on Islam. | That night, Haider changed his Facebook photo to a picture of himself in camouflage and holding the Shahada flag. His Facebook friends questioned why he had changed his photo and he replied that police and Asio “dogs” had declared war on Islam. |
| Haider bought two knives the next day – 21 September – and exchanged texts with a friend in which he referred to the terrorism raids. The next day, he received official notice form the passport office that his passport had been cancelled. | Haider bought two knives the next day – 21 September – and exchanged texts with a friend in which he referred to the terrorism raids. The next day, he received official notice form the passport office that his passport had been cancelled. |
| On 23 September counter-terrorism police went to Haider’s home to speak to him but he was not home. His parents allowed police to search his bedroom. His parents and brothers cooperated with police and shared their concerns about his increasing involvement with people they felt were a bad influence on him. | On 23 September counter-terrorism police went to Haider’s home to speak to him but he was not home. His parents allowed police to search his bedroom. His parents and brothers cooperated with police and shared their concerns about his increasing involvement with people they felt were a bad influence on him. |
| When Haider got home, he was angry. At 7pm, a police officer rang him and asked if he could come in to the police station to discuss the incident at Dandenong plaza. Haider requested the meeting occur at Hungry Jack’s but officers refused, saying it was too public. | When Haider got home, he was angry. At 7pm, a police officer rang him and asked if he could come in to the police station to discuss the incident at Dandenong plaza. Haider requested the meeting occur at Hungry Jack’s but officers refused, saying it was too public. |
| Haider then rang the officers back and said he would be at the police station in 15 minutes. He arrived at the station at 7.33pm, “much sooner than 15 minutes later”, Ellyard said. | Haider then rang the officers back and said he would be at the police station in 15 minutes. He arrived at the station at 7.33pm, “much sooner than 15 minutes later”, Ellyard said. |
| “The officers went outside to meet him and Numan was sitting on bonnet of his car and officers walked across the car park to meet him,” she said. | “The officers went outside to meet him and Numan was sitting on bonnet of his car and officers walked across the car park to meet him,” she said. |
| “It was very dark and the area his car was in was not well lit. Both officers shook Numan’s hand and asked if he was happy to talk.” | “It was very dark and the area his car was in was not well lit. Both officers shook Numan’s hand and asked if he was happy to talk.” |
| Officers told him they would have to search him and asked him to empty his pockets. This was when Haider put his hand in his pocket, withdrew a knife and lunged at one of the officers, Ellyard said. | Officers told him they would have to search him and asked him to empty his pockets. This was when Haider put his hand in his pocket, withdrew a knife and lunged at one of the officers, Ellyard said. |
| The first officer blocked several blows but was stabbed and lost their footing. The second officer then saw Haider approaching with the knife and was stabbed and began bleeding from the eye. Haider then crouched over the officer and continued to stab him. The first officer got to his feet and, seeing Haider crouching over his colleague and stabbing him, shot him once in the head. Haider died instantly, Ellyard said. The officers immediately rang for help for Haider, which is supported by CCTV footage which shows one of the officers running back into the station just minutes after meeting Haider. | The first officer blocked several blows but was stabbed and lost their footing. The second officer then saw Haider approaching with the knife and was stabbed and began bleeding from the eye. Haider then crouched over the officer and continued to stab him. The first officer got to his feet and, seeing Haider crouching over his colleague and stabbing him, shot him once in the head. Haider died instantly, Ellyard said. The officers immediately rang for help for Haider, which is supported by CCTV footage which shows one of the officers running back into the station just minutes after meeting Haider. |
| The purpose of the inquest was not to find someone to blame for the death but to see if police and Asio officers may have missed signs in the interactions with him in the weeks leading to his death that might have indicated he may have been intending to cause harm to others, Ellyard said. | The purpose of the inquest was not to find someone to blame for the death but to see if police and Asio officers may have missed signs in the interactions with him in the weeks leading to his death that might have indicated he may have been intending to cause harm to others, Ellyard said. |
| The inquest would also examine how young men like Haider found themselves drawn to extremist views, she said. | The inquest would also examine how young men like Haider found themselves drawn to extremist views, she said. |
| The inquest continues. | The inquest continues. |