The Sydney Siege has come and gone, with what looks like another example of a known nut case who was let out on the streets by the Security Services, only to reek havoc on the community.
Australian SWAT police ended the 16-hour hostage standoff started by 50-year-old self-styled, Iranian-born Muslim ‘cleric’, Man Haron Monis, as police did a blitz-style assault on the Lindt chocolate store in Martins Place in Sydney.
Monis is said to have a disturbingly long criminal rap sheep which includes among other things, multiple counts of sexual assault, and an accessory to murder charge.
Don't call Man Haron Monis a 'terrorist' - it only helps Isis
He was also a local media darling, well known to local press and on social media playing the role of ‘Sheikh‘,
including a role in a publicity stunt where Monis wrote inflammatory
and insulting letters to Australian troops and families of troops who
served in US wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Monis was born in Iran and was a Shia Muslim. According to his website, he converted to Sunni Islam only weeks ago. Considering the short amount of time between his apparent conversion and his carrying out an attack, it appears unlikely that he could have been fully radicalised so rapidly.
Therefore we need to look at other factors that could have influenced or explain his violent and horrific crime. While his extremism may have played a part, it is obvious that Monis was already a violent man. Religion gave him a way to justify and frame his violence – a hook for his violent tendencies, but not the driving force behind them.
Critics are raising questions as to whether or not Sydney police intelligence unit were involved in ‘managing’ Monis as an informant, or if he was being supervised by a government psychologist and taking SSRI anti-psychotic medication. Even Prime Minister Tony Abbott admitted that Monis was “well known to authorities” and had a history of “extremism and mental instability”.
Incredibly, Monis was allowed to roam the streets on bail instead of being detained in a secure criminal or mental facility – where he clearly belonged.
Monis was born in Iran and was a Shia Muslim. According to his website, he converted to Sunni Islam only weeks ago. Considering the short amount of time between his apparent conversion and his carrying out an attack, it appears unlikely that he could have been fully radicalised so rapidly.
Therefore we need to look at other factors that could have influenced or explain his violent and horrific crime. While his extremism may have played a part, it is obvious that Monis was already a violent man. Religion gave him a way to justify and frame his violence – a hook for his violent tendencies, but not the driving force behind them.
Critics are raising questions as to whether or not Sydney police intelligence unit were involved in ‘managing’ Monis as an informant, or if he was being supervised by a government psychologist and taking SSRI anti-psychotic medication. Even Prime Minister Tony Abbott admitted that Monis was “well known to authorities” and had a history of “extremism and mental instability”.
Incredibly, Monis was allowed to roam the streets on bail instead of being detained in a secure criminal or mental facility – where he clearly belonged.
Meanwhile, at FOX News was upset that the rest of the media wasn’t labeling it an ‘ISIS Attack’. During the channel’s showcase program, ‘Outnumbered’, Andrea Tantaros, appeared visibly upset that the Australian government was not calling the incident a “terrorist event”. “ISIS has been calling for these ‘lone wolf’ attacks on countries like Australia for a while.“I don’t know what the Australian leadership won’t call this a terrorist attack”.
Television footage showed at least three people, thought to be employees of the cafe and who were visibly distressed, holding a black sign with the Islamic creed written on it up to the window.
- BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner said the flag was similar to but not the same as that used by the Islamic State militant group in the Middle East.
- Sydney Morning Herald - Flag being held by Lindt Chocolat Cafe hostages is not an Islamic State flag
- ABC News - Sydney siege: Flag displayed is not that of Islamic State ... during the siege at a Sydney cafe is not the same one used by the Islamic State terrorist group.
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