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| Brighton siege: gunman Yacqub Khayre may have lured police to apartment | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A gunman who killed one man during a siege in an apartment building near Melbourne and who claimed links to Isis may have lured police to the scene before opening fire on them. | A gunman who killed one man during a siege in an apartment building near Melbourne and who claimed links to Isis may have lured police to the scene before opening fire on them. |
| Victoria’s police commissioner, Graham Ashton, said on Tuesday morning the dead gunman, 29-year-old Yacqub Khayre, had booked an escort to meet him at the Buckingham serviced apartments in Brighton and turned up with a firearm. He took the woman hostage in a room on the ground floor and shot and killed the building clerk before police showed up after receiving reports of explosions coming from the complex about 4pm on Monday. | Victoria’s police commissioner, Graham Ashton, said on Tuesday morning the dead gunman, 29-year-old Yacqub Khayre, had booked an escort to meet him at the Buckingham serviced apartments in Brighton and turned up with a firearm. He took the woman hostage in a room on the ground floor and shot and killed the building clerk before police showed up after receiving reports of explosions coming from the complex about 4pm on Monday. |
| The explosions were in fact gunshots, Ashton said. | The explosions were in fact gunshots, Ashton said. |
| The possibility of a police lure was being “weighed into the calculations”, Ashton said, “but we haven’t found anything like a note or any comment around that.” | The possibility of a police lure was being “weighed into the calculations”, Ashton said, “but we haven’t found anything like a note or any comment around that.” |
| “We’ve got computers and electronic items seized to go through,” he said at a media conference. | “We’ve got computers and electronic items seized to go through,” he said at a media conference. |
| “At this stage it’s just too early to know, you know, how random this was in terms of whether it was something that he was planning or thinking about, whether police were the target, or he’s seized the opportunity he thought was presented to him.” | “At this stage it’s just too early to know, you know, how random this was in terms of whether it was something that he was planning or thinking about, whether police were the target, or he’s seized the opportunity he thought was presented to him.” |
| Ashton said he believed the gunman was acting alone. “There isn’t a sort of ongoing threat in relation to any plot or anything around this individual,” he said. | Ashton said he believed the gunman was acting alone. “There isn’t a sort of ongoing threat in relation to any plot or anything around this individual,” he said. |
| Khayre emerged from the building at 6pm firing at police, and was fatally shot by the officers. Three police officers were injured in the gunfire, and two were taken to hospital. Police had no communication with Khayre during the siege. | Khayre emerged from the building at 6pm firing at police, and was fatally shot by the officers. Three police officers were injured in the gunfire, and two were taken to hospital. Police had no communication with Khayre during the siege. |
| Khayre was out on parole after serving a lengthy sentence for an armed hold-up of passengers on a Melbourne train. In 2009 he took part in a government deradicalisation program because of his alleged involvement in a terrorism plot to attack Holsworthy army barracks in Sydney. He was acquitted of the terrorism-related charges. | Khayre was out on parole after serving a lengthy sentence for an armed hold-up of passengers on a Melbourne train. In 2009 he took part in a government deradicalisation program because of his alleged involvement in a terrorism plot to attack Holsworthy army barracks in Sydney. He was acquitted of the terrorism-related charges. |
| During the siege Khayre called the Channel Seven newsroom, claiming to be linked to the terrorist group Isis. | During the siege Khayre called the Channel Seven newsroom, claiming to be linked to the terrorist group Isis. |
| Its propaganda agency, Amaq, said in an online statement: “The attack in Melbourne, Australia, was carried out by a soldier of the Islamic State in response to the call for targeting the subjects of the coalition states.” | Its propaganda agency, Amaq, said in an online statement: “The attack in Melbourne, Australia, was carried out by a soldier of the Islamic State in response to the call for targeting the subjects of the coalition states.” |
| Ashton said: “But then they always tend to jump up and claim responsibility every time something happens. | Ashton said: “But then they always tend to jump up and claim responsibility every time something happens. |
| “We believe that he has made a call to Channel Seven making those sorts of comments as well,” he said. “That’s why we’re treating this as a terrorism incident.” | “We believe that he has made a call to Channel Seven making those sorts of comments as well,” he said. “That’s why we’re treating this as a terrorism incident.” |
| Victoria’s premier, Daniel Andrews, said Khayre had served “significant jail time” before being released on parole, but not for terrorism offences. | Victoria’s premier, Daniel Andrews, said Khayre had served “significant jail time” before being released on parole, but not for terrorism offences. |
| “His sentence had been increased because of poor behaviour – this is the advice I have – terrible behaviour in prison,” Andrews said. But he had been “well-behaved” while out on parole. | “His sentence had been increased because of poor behaviour – this is the advice I have – terrible behaviour in prison,” Andrews said. But he had been “well-behaved” while out on parole. |
| “He’s been compliant, including drug tests, attending appointments and observing a curfew,” Ashton said. | “He’s been compliant, including drug tests, attending appointments and observing a curfew,” Ashton said. |
| “That’s the information that I have to this point. We have the toughest parole review system anywhere in Australia. That’s a good thing. The important thing to note is that not only was he eligible and received parole but it would appear on advice to this point that he’d been compliant with the terms and conditions of the parole granted to him. | “That’s the information that I have to this point. We have the toughest parole review system anywhere in Australia. That’s a good thing. The important thing to note is that not only was he eligible and received parole but it would appear on advice to this point that he’d been compliant with the terms and conditions of the parole granted to him. |
| “We’ll look at that very closely, of course, and if there are any changes in any element of this act, which we’re considering as an act of terror, then we stand ready to make them.” | “We’ll look at that very closely, of course, and if there are any changes in any element of this act, which we’re considering as an act of terror, then we stand ready to make them.” |
| Malcolm Turnbull said he had raised the question of parole when he called Andrews on Monday night and again on Tuesday morning. | Malcolm Turnbull said he had raised the question of parole when he called Andrews on Monday night and again on Tuesday morning. |
| “How was this man on parole?” the prime minister said on Tuesday. “He had a long record of violence. A very long record of violence. He had been charged with a terrorist offence some years ago and had been acquitted. | “How was this man on parole?” the prime minister said on Tuesday. “He had a long record of violence. A very long record of violence. He had been charged with a terrorist offence some years ago and had been acquitted. |
| “He was known to have connections, at least in the past, with violent extremism. But he was a known violent offender, how was he on parole?” | “He was known to have connections, at least in the past, with violent extremism. But he was a known violent offender, how was he on parole?” |
| Court transcripts show this violence included assaulting people in robberies. He had 16 prior convictions for burglary and had faced court for attempted armed robbery, firearm offences and arson. | Court transcripts show this violence included assaulting people in robberies. He had 16 prior convictions for burglary and had faced court for attempted armed robbery, firearm offences and arson. |
| Ashton said Khayre had a Somali background and came to Australia as a refugee when he was a child. He became an Australian citizen in 1996. | Ashton said Khayre had a Somali background and came to Australia as a refugee when he was a child. He became an Australian citizen in 1996. |
| He said it was unclear why Khayre had chosen Brighton as the location for the siege, a beachside suburb about 11km from the centre of Melbourne. | He said it was unclear why Khayre had chosen Brighton as the location for the siege, a beachside suburb about 11km from the centre of Melbourne. |
| Ashton said police were exploring whether radicalisation of Khayre had been exacerbated while he was in jail. “It’s a problem we’re aware of,” he said. | Ashton said police were exploring whether radicalisation of Khayre had been exacerbated while he was in jail. “It’s a problem we’re aware of,” he said. |
| “We’re well aware of the risks around that and it’s something we work on the intel side of extensively now, more than ever.” | “We’re well aware of the risks around that and it’s something we work on the intel side of extensively now, more than ever.” |
| The building clerk who was killed was an Australian national born in China but Ashton said that was all police could say, given that his family overseas were still being notified. | The building clerk who was killed was an Australian national born in China but Ashton said that was all police could say, given that his family overseas were still being notified. |
| “We’re not going to go into too much more detail about him but certainly [it’s] a great tragedy … [he’s] not believed to be connected other than the fact that he’s worked at the apartments.” | “We’re not going to go into too much more detail about him but certainly [it’s] a great tragedy … [he’s] not believed to be connected other than the fact that he’s worked at the apartments.” |