Shooting through a plate glass window at an angle, at a target standing 3 plus meters behind the window, with hostages...![]()
Shooting through a plate glass window at an angle, at a target standing 3 plus meters behind the window, with hostages...![]()
SYDNEY (Reuters) - An Iranian refugee known for sending hate mail to the families of Australian soldiers killed overseas and facing several charges of sexual assault is the armed man holding an unknown number of hostages in a Sydney cafe, a police source said on Tuesday.
Man Haron Monis, a self-styled sheikh, remained holed up in the cafe some 15 hours after the siege began.
"There's no operational reason for that name to be held back by us now," said the police source, who declined to be identified.
Monis, also known as Sheikh Haron, was charged last year with being an accessory to the murder of his ex-wife who was stabbed and set alight in a Sydney apartment block.
He was found guilty in 2012 of sending offensive and threatening letters to families of eight Australian soldiers killed in Afghanistan, as a protest against Australia's involvement in the conflict, according to local media reports.
Earlier this year, Monis, who describes himself as a "spiritual healer", was charged with the indecent and sexual assault of a Sydney woman in 2002. Further charges were laid in October.
Monis's website shows graphic images of children that the website says were killed by U.S. and Australian airstrikes, as well as media coverage following Monis's court appearances and statements addressed to the Muslim community and Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott.
Local media reported his age at 49 or 50.
What was the end result of this standoff?Whenever someone mentions to shoot through the window, I immediately think back to the Good Guys hostage taking:
Another thought: The media should not be allowed in the area. They are filming teams stacked up on doors and EOD getting ready to go in, and other types of personnel in the area. If there are accomplices in town or TV's in the cafe, then the media is giving any bad guys involved important intel. While I want to watch it, I just don't think it is a good idea, much like media on the battle field.
What was the end result of this standoff?
i.e. any bad guys survive?
Hostage injuries?
Did I see a hostage casualty? Looks like a middle aged woman.
Oh, and whilst I'm here, what a marvellous contribution to humanity this man was, he could have saved it.
Not entirely agreeing there, only one POI & one hostage so far dead, a couple of others wounded.
Monis was on bail for dozens of charges, including 22 of aggravated sexual assault and 14 of aggravated indecent assault, according to the
Australian Associated Press.
Stemming from his time as a “spiritual healer”, an additional 40 charges were levelled against him
in October and he was also on bail for being an accessary to murder.