PM Tony Abbott announces an urgent review has been commissioned into the Sydney siege, to help answer questions as to why Man Haron Monis was at large in the community while on bail for violent crimes.
Tributes ... Tony Abbott and Maggie Abbott lay flowers in Martin Place paying respects to the hostages who lost their lives in the Lindt Cafe, Martin Place. Picture: Craig Greenhill/News Corp. Source: News Corp Australia
NSW Police have disputed Prime Minister Tony Abbott's claim that "madman" Man Haron Monis had a gun licence before he launched his attack at Martin Place.
Mr Abbott made the claim when he announced an urgent review into the Sydney siege, saying there are some obvious questions that need answering in the wake of the terrorist attack. .
The prime minister, who described Monis as a "madman" today, wants to know how he was able to have "a lend of us for so many years".
He questioned how the gunman - killed in a hail of gunfire on Tuesday morning - managed to get permanent residency in Australia. It was also vital the review looked into how Monis, who was known to security agencies, was on bail, was on welfare and had a gun licence despite such a long history of violence.
But in a statement issued to media, NSW Police confirmed this was not true.
"The NSW Police Force has conducted checks with the NSW Firearms Registry and can confirm there is no record of the 50-year-old man (Man Monis) having held a firearms licence," the statement read.
INSIDE THE SIEGE: 'I just went out for a coffee'
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Now a dead man .... Sheik Man Haron Monis. Source: News Corp Australia
The new review will look into Monis's arrival in Australia and his granting of asylum, citizenship and welfare benefits. It will also probe how Monis obtained access to firearms, his interaction with the courts, and what information relevant to public safety the federal and state agencies had on him.
The review will be conducted by Mr Abbott's department chief and NSW Premier Mike Baird's most senior adviser, and investigate how and at what stage national security powers such as control orders could have been used to monitor his activities.
More broadly, it will examine what lessons could be learnt by the NSW and Australian Federal Police about the handling of the siege.
A report will be provided by January 2015.
Mr Abbott said Australians should be confident in their police and security agencies, who acted professionally and with courage in responding to this "appalling outrage".
"Nevertheless we do need to reflect on what's happened and ponder what might have been done better," he said.
Mr Abbott confirmed that the hostage taker did demand to speak to him on Monday during the siege.
The prime minister was prepared to do whatever the police thought best in the circumstances.
"The advice from police was to have no contact with him," Mr Abbott said.
Mr Abbott expressed particular concern that Monis had dropped off the terrorist watch list, given he had such a chequered past and was "plainly" a threat.
Monis was being watched by ASIO back in 2008 when he was sending "profoundly offensive" letters to the families of dead Australian soldiers.
"I don't know why he dropped off the watch list in those days, I really don't," he said.
"That's one of the reasons we need this inquiry."
A tribute wall ... has been established at the Lindt cafe, where Police Rescue Squad members taped up black plastic on the outside of the cafe windows to block the view into the cafe. Picture: Bill Hearne Source: News Corp Australia
Mr Abbott hinted the Australian government had denied an attempt by the Iranian government to extradite Monis back to his former homeland.
"I'm not going to deny that, but I would rather not confirm it at this stage either," he said.
Monis had been indicted for fraud in Iran and went by the name of Mohammad Hassan Manteghi Boroujerdi before he came to Australia in 1996.
Iran says it discussed the mental state of the gunman with Australian officials several times before this week's deadly cafe siege.
Mr Abbott said Monis had a "very chequered" history and the inquiry would investigate how he had permanent residency and was able to gain benefits despite being able-bodied.
"I share the exasperation of the Australian public at what appears to be someone who has been having a lend of us at the very least for so many years," he said.
Visitors walk past flowers ... a makeshift memorial near the scene of a fatal siege in the heart of Sydney's financial district. Picture: AFP Source: AFP
THE SYSTEM LETS US DOWN
Earlier today, Mr Abbott declared he wanted to know why Monis wasn't being monitored.
After visiting Sydney for briefings and to lay a floral tribute, the Prime Minister this morning admitted the "system did not adequately deal with this individual."
Mr Abbott said it was a "very good question" why Monis was allowed on the street, having had a serious criminal past as well as being on bail at the time.
"It's one which Premier Mike Baird is pondering, it's one which was well and truly thrashed out by the National Security Committee of the Australian Cabinet yesterday," he told ABC Radio.
"These are the questions that we will be asking ourselves ... and having our officials ponder."
The Prime Minister admitted Monis had been "of interest" to security agencies and "very well known to New South Wales Police".
Good question ... Tony Abbott says he wants to know why Man Haron Monis wasn't being monitored. Picture: John Feder/News Corp. Source: News Corp Australia
"He was a very, very unsavoury individual," he said, but conceded he wasn't on a security watch list at this time.
"We want to know why he wasn't being monitored, given his history of violence, given his history of mental instability and his history with an infatuation with extremism."
Three days earlier, Monis lost a bid in the High Court to overturn a conviction against him for sending offensive letters to the families of Australian soldiers killed in Afghanistan.
Mr Abbott said "there is no doubt" that the system didn't properly deal with him.
"This is why we've got to constantly learn the lessons ... frankly we've got to always be better at this."
Sydney barrister and mother ... Katrina Dawson, who also died. Picture: Supplied Source: Supplied
Lindt store manager ... Tori Johnson, who was killed in the seige. Picture: Supplied Source: Supplied
Mr Abbott said the tragedy of this incident is that two "delightful Australians" — Katrina Dawson and Tori Johnson — are dead.
"Others are injured, others are traumatised, because of a madman who was roaming our streets," he added.
Mr Abbott said he intends to release a report following an inquiry into the incident.
"So it will be out there for all to see."
Meanwhile, MPs and the heads of AFP, ASIO and the Attorney General's Department have stood for a moment's silence, at the beginning of a Parliamentary hearing into metadata.
Committee chair Dan Tehan read a statement on the siege to commence the hearing in Canberra, recognising the deaths of Katrina Dawson and Tori Johnson.
"The impact on their families and their friends will be deep and everlasting," he said.
"To the hostages who escaped this harrowing ordeal we extend to them our sympathy and support."
Mr Tehan also praised the work of police, "under pressure they expressed their dedication and commitment when it mattered most."
"Threats of terrorism, or terrorist acts, will not change this nation, they will only strengthen our resolve."
Paying respect ... Bill Shorten at a memorial site in Martin Place where hundreds of Sydneysiders are laying flowers in remembrance of those who were killed and involved. Picture: Toby Zerna Source: News Corp Australia
Bill Shorten said he didn't want to see a "blame game", but he understood people wanted to understand how Monis was out in the community.
"Obviously people want to know how could someone so dangerous be on bail," the Opposition Leader told reporters in Melbourne.
"People will have questions, how did he have firearms and if authorities knew who this person was how was he able to do what he did.
"But I also have confidence that we will get to the bottom of this."
Mr Shorten insisted there was also a "deeper question".
"Why is it that there are a few angry, violent men who show and demonstrate their criminal behaviour over time, and why does it take death sometimes for these people to be brought to justice?
"This isn't right, we are smarter than this."
According to the Labor leader there was a "clear political flavour" to what Monis was doing.
"But I also think that this man was clearly deranged," he added.
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