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| Abbott: Why was Sydney siege gunman not on terror list? | Abbott: Why was Sydney siege gunman not on terror list? |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has questioned why the gunman in the Sydney cafe siege was not on the country's terror watch list. | Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has questioned why the gunman in the Sydney cafe siege was not on the country's terror watch list. |
| He said the government would examine why Man Haron Monis had been on bail. | He said the government would examine why Man Haron Monis had been on bail. |
| Mr Abbott paid tribute to the two hostages who died in Monday's siege, describing them as "good people". | Mr Abbott paid tribute to the two hostages who died in Monday's siege, describing them as "good people". |
| The two hostages and Monis died as police commandos stormed the cafe in Martin Place early on Tuesday morning, ending the 16-hour siege. | The two hostages and Monis died as police commandos stormed the cafe in Martin Place early on Tuesday morning, ending the 16-hour siege. |
| An investigation has been launched into the police operation. | An investigation has been launched into the police operation. |
| Police are also investigating the motives of Monis - an Iranian refugee who was a known extremist and faced multiple criminal charges - and how he got a gun. | |
| At a press conference, Mr Abbott said: "How can someone who has had such a long and chequered history not be on the appropriate watch lists and how can someone like that be entirely at large in the community. | At a press conference, Mr Abbott said: "How can someone who has had such a long and chequered history not be on the appropriate watch lists and how can someone like that be entirely at large in the community. |
| "These are questions that we need to look at carefully and calmly and methodically." | "These are questions that we need to look at carefully and calmly and methodically." |
| However, Mr Abbott added that it was "possible" that the siege would have taken place even if Monis had been on a watch list. | However, Mr Abbott added that it was "possible" that the siege would have taken place even if Monis had been on a watch list. |
| "The level of control that would be necessary to prevent people from going about their daily life would be very, very high indeed," he said. | "The level of control that would be necessary to prevent people from going about their daily life would be very, very high indeed," he said. |
| The victims have been named as cafe manager Tori Johnson, 34 and Sydney lawyer Katrina Dawson, 38. | The victims have been named as cafe manager Tori Johnson, 34 and Sydney lawyer Katrina Dawson, 38. |
| Mr Abbott described the victims as "decent, good people" who were "caught up in the sick fantasy of a deeply disturbed individual". | Mr Abbott described the victims as "decent, good people" who were "caught up in the sick fantasy of a deeply disturbed individual". |
| In Martin Place, people have been arriving to sign condolence books and leave flowers in their memory. | In Martin Place, people have been arriving to sign condolence books and leave flowers in their memory. |
| 'Emergency plan' | 'Emergency plan' |
| Central Sydney was put in lockdown on Monday morning as the gunman entered the Lindt Chocolat Cafe and seized 17 hostages. | Central Sydney was put in lockdown on Monday morning as the gunman entered the Lindt Chocolat Cafe and seized 17 hostages. |
| Five hostages managed to sprint to safety on Monday afternoon. Several more escaped in the early hours of Tuesday, as commandos stormed the cafe. | Five hostages managed to sprint to safety on Monday afternoon. Several more escaped in the early hours of Tuesday, as commandos stormed the cafe. |
| At a press conference on Tuesday, NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Catherine Burn would not say whether Monis shot the two hostages himself. | At a press conference on Tuesday, NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Catherine Burn would not say whether Monis shot the two hostages himself. |
| Nor would she confirm media reports that cafe manager Mr Johnson was shot when he grappled with Monis. But she said that "every single one of those hostages acted courageously". | Nor would she confirm media reports that cafe manager Mr Johnson was shot when he grappled with Monis. But she said that "every single one of those hostages acted courageously". |
| Asked if police stormed the cafe because of something they saw or heard from within the cafe, Commissioner Burn would say only that "shots were heard and an emergency action plan was activated". | Asked if police stormed the cafe because of something they saw or heard from within the cafe, Commissioner Burn would say only that "shots were heard and an emergency action plan was activated". |
| She said it was "extremely important that I do not say a great deal about the events of the past 24 hours" while the investigation is under way. | She said it was "extremely important that I do not say a great deal about the events of the past 24 hours" while the investigation is under way. |
| The investigation - standard practice when police are involved in a fatal incident - is being led by New South Wales Homicide Squad detectives on behalf of the state's coroner, and could take weeks or months. | The investigation - standard practice when police are involved in a fatal incident - is being led by New South Wales Homicide Squad detectives on behalf of the state's coroner, and could take weeks or months. |
| At the scene: Wendy Frew, BBC News Online, Australia editor | At the scene: Wendy Frew, BBC News Online, Australia editor |
| At Christmas time in Sydney, people come to Martin Place to see the giant Christmas tree. This year they have come to see a sea of flowers laid in memory of the victims of this week's cafe shooting. | At Christmas time in Sydney, people come to Martin Place to see the giant Christmas tree. This year they have come to see a sea of flowers laid in memory of the victims of this week's cafe shooting. |
| Hundreds of bouquets have been laid on the pedestrian plaza a block away from where the siege took place. | Hundreds of bouquets have been laid on the pedestrian plaza a block away from where the siege took place. |
| Well-wishers like Maureen Sharma and Ruza Fisher have come to sign a condolence book and to lay flowers. The two young office employees who work nearby wanted to pay their respects. | Well-wishers like Maureen Sharma and Ruza Fisher have come to sign a condolence book and to lay flowers. The two young office employees who work nearby wanted to pay their respects. |
| "I came to work this morning and could not stop crying," said Ms Sharma. "It touched me more than I had expected." Ms Fisher said her stomach was in knots. "I am starting to well up… It was such a waste of lives." | "I came to work this morning and could not stop crying," said Ms Sharma. "It touched me more than I had expected." Ms Fisher said her stomach was in knots. "I am starting to well up… It was such a waste of lives." |
| A policeman who was hit in the face by shotgun pellets during the raid has since been discharged from hospital. Three others who suffered gunshot wounds are in a stable condition, NSW Police said in a statement. | A policeman who was hit in the face by shotgun pellets during the raid has since been discharged from hospital. Three others who suffered gunshot wounds are in a stable condition, NSW Police said in a statement. |
| Two of the hostages who were pregnant were uninjured but taken to hospital for "health and welfare purposes", NSW police said. | Two of the hostages who were pregnant were uninjured but taken to hospital for "health and welfare purposes", NSW police said. |
| An exclusion zone remains in place for several blocks around the crime scene, along with some road closures. Police have promised more police on the streets over the holiday period. | An exclusion zone remains in place for several blocks around the crime scene, along with some road closures. Police have promised more police on the streets over the holiday period. |
| Sixteen-hour siege | Sixteen-hour siege |
| 09:45 Monday local time (22:45 GMT Sunday): Police are called out to the Lindt Chocolat Cafe in Sydney's Martin Place, a busy plaza in the heart of the city. Suggestions an armed robbery is under way are soon discounted. | 09:45 Monday local time (22:45 GMT Sunday): Police are called out to the Lindt Chocolat Cafe in Sydney's Martin Place, a busy plaza in the heart of the city. Suggestions an armed robbery is under way are soon discounted. |
| 10:09: Australian TV stations broadcast footage of hostages holding a black Islamic banner up to the window. The gunman can also be seen, wearing a bandana. | 10:09: Australian TV stations broadcast footage of hostages holding a black Islamic banner up to the window. The gunman can also be seen, wearing a bandana. |
| 16:00-17:00: Three men, then two women, sprint to safety from the cafe's fire exit. | 16:00-17:00: Three men, then two women, sprint to safety from the cafe's fire exit. |
| 02:10 Tuesday (15:10 GMT Monday): Several more hostages escape and commandos storm the cafe. | 02:10 Tuesday (15:10 GMT Monday): Several more hostages escape and commandos storm the cafe. |
| 02:48: Police officially confirm end of siege. They later report the deaths of three people, including the gunman. | 02:48: Police officially confirm end of siege. They later report the deaths of three people, including the gunman. |
| How the siege unfolded | How the siege unfolded |
| Australian media warn against quick conclusions | Australian media warn against quick conclusions |
| In pictures: Australians pay tribute | In pictures: Australians pay tribute |
| 'Unstable' | 'Unstable' |
| Monis, a self-styled Muslim cleric, was born in Iran and sought political asylum in Australia in 1996. He had a history of religiously inspired activism, but officials say there is as yet no evidence his actions were linked to international Islamist movements. | Monis, a self-styled Muslim cleric, was born in Iran and sought political asylum in Australia in 1996. He had a history of religiously inspired activism, but officials say there is as yet no evidence his actions were linked to international Islamist movements. |
| He was well known to the Australian police and was on bail charged with being an accessory to the murder of his ex-wife. He was also facing more than 40 sexual and indecent assault charges. | He was well known to the Australian police and was on bail charged with being an accessory to the murder of his ex-wife. He was also facing more than 40 sexual and indecent assault charges. |
| During the siege he apparently forced hostages to hold up a flag showing the Islamic creed in the cafe window. | During the siege he apparently forced hostages to hold up a flag showing the Islamic creed in the cafe window. |
| A church service was held at St Mary Cathedral, near the Lindt Cafe, on Tuesday to mourn the victims. Archbishop Anthony Fisher said the "heart of our city is broken by the deaths of two innocents". | A church service was held at St Mary Cathedral, near the Lindt Cafe, on Tuesday to mourn the victims. Archbishop Anthony Fisher said the "heart of our city is broken by the deaths of two innocents". |
| The Australian National Imams Council issued a statement saying it was "deeply saddened by the tragic end to the siege with the loss of life. | The Australian National Imams Council issued a statement saying it was "deeply saddened by the tragic end to the siege with the loss of life. |
| "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of those killed and to the hostages who suffered the trauma of the siege." | "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of those killed and to the hostages who suffered the trauma of the siege." |