Sydney gunman was taken off watch list, had weapons license

A gunman responsible for a deadly siege in a Sydney cafe was once on the national security agency’s watch list — but was dropped off it years ago for reasons that remain unclear, Australia’s prime minister said Wednesday.

The gunman also had a gun license despite his long criminal history.

Man Haron Monis, a 50-year-old Iranian-born, self-styled cleric described by Prime Minister Tony Abbott as deeply disturbed, took 17 people hostage inside a downtown Sydney cafe on Monday. Sixteen hours later, the siege ended in a barrage of gunfire when police rushed in to free the captives. Two hostages were killed along with Monis.

Abbott said on Wednesday that gunman Man Haron Monis was on the Australian Security Intelligence Organization’s watch list in 2008 and 2009 but dropped off. The agency was watching Monis because he had sent a series of offensive letters to the families of dead Australian soldiers, Abbott said.

“I don’t know why he dropped off the watch list in those days, I really don’t,” Abbott said.

As he formally announced a review into the fatal Sydney cafe siege, Abbot vowed not to rest until he was assured Australians were safe.

“I will not rest until I am confident that you are as safe as any government can possibly make you,” he said in confirming an official probe into the tragedy and how the Iranian-born Islamist gunman gained citizenship.

“I don’t want people who are perfectly good Australians to be frightened of a knock on the door in the middle of the night. That’s the last thing that I would want,” he added.

“But people who are preaching hate, who are associating with terrorist organisations or with terrorist supporters, who are railing against our country and our way of life, our freedoms and our tolerance, and the welcome that we give to people… these are things which to need to be questioned.”

It will examine the circumstances surrounding Monis’ arrival in Australia from Iran and subsequent granting of asylum and citizenship, and what information agencies had about him and how it was shared.

It will also ask how he managed to get a gun.

“I certainly want answers to those sorts of questions and there was incredulity around the National Security Committee of the Cabinet yesterday when we were briefed on the details of his record,” Abbott said.

The inquiry is expected to report back by the end of January.