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Who are Australia's radicalised Muslims? Who are Australia's radicalised Muslims?
(2 months later)
On 15 December, self-styled Muslim cleric Man Haron Monis held several people hostage in the Lindt Chocolat Cafe at Sydney's Martin Place. The 16-hour stand-off ended with police commandos storming the cafe. Two hostages and Monis died. Concern has been rising in Australia since mid-2014 over the number of its citizens fighting for the Islamic State militant group.
Monis was known to police and faced a raft of criminal charges, but as yet no evidence has been cited showing direct links to Islamist militant movements. Officials are worried about both the effect of returnees, and those who support them and their activities, on domestic security.
But the incident follows months of concern over the effect on Australia's domestic security of those who fight for, or sympathise with, militant Islamist groups in Iraq and Syria. So who are these fighters and how large is the problem of radicalisation? The BBC explains.
So who are the radicalised members of Australia's Muslim community and how large is the problem? The BBC explains.
How serious is the problem?How serious is the problem?
Authorities are concerned about a minority of Australia's small Muslim community.Authorities are concerned about a minority of Australia's small Muslim community.
They have said that about 70 Australians are fighting with extremist groups in Syria and northern Iraq. Another 20 have returned to Australia after fighting in those places. Foreign Minister Julie Bishop in March 2015 said at least 90 Australians were in Iraq and Syria supporting IS, and another 20 Australians had been killed in the conflict.
Spy chief David Irvine, the director general of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, said in August that about 15 Australians had been killed so far in these conflicts, including two suicide bombers. About 100 passports had been cancelled on national security grounds, she said.
He also said 100 or more people within Australia were "actively supporting" militant groups by recruiting new fighters, grooming suicide-bombing candidates, and providing funds and equipment to militants.
Who are the Australian jihadists?Who are the Australian jihadists?
Terrorism expert Clive Williams of the Australian National University says Australian jihadists are Sunni Muslims, the branch of Islam which the Islamic State (IS) follows.Terrorism expert Clive Williams of the Australian National University says Australian jihadists are Sunni Muslims, the branch of Islam which the Islamic State (IS) follows.
Studies have shown that more than half of those who have embraced radicalism were born in Australia and about 60% are of Lebanese heritage.Studies have shown that more than half of those who have embraced radicalism were born in Australia and about 60% are of Lebanese heritage.
Most were married with children, and were not particularly religious prior to believing in extreme Islamic ideologies.Most were married with children, and were not particularly religious prior to believing in extreme Islamic ideologies.
What about specific individuals? What about specific individuals overseas?
Some details are known. Local media have also described Mohammad Ali Baryalei, a former Sydney bouncer, as Australia's most senior IS member. The issue of foreign fighters began making headlines in July 2014, when an 18-year-old from Melbourne blew himself and several others up in a suicide bomb attack in Iraq.
On 29 October, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said the government was trying to confirm a report that he had been killed in Syria. Arrest warrants were issued that same month for two Australian IS fighters, Khaled Sharrouf and Mohamed Elomar. Sharrouf was previously jailed for plotting to attack the Lucas Heights nuclear reactor in Sydney.
Arrest warrants were issued in July for two IS fighters, Khaled Sharrouf and Mohamed Elomar. Local media have described Mohammad Ali Baryalei, a former Sydney bouncer, as Australia's most senior IS member. He was reportedly killed in Syria in late 2014, although authorities have yet to confirm it.
Sharrouf was one of eight people arrested for plotting to attack the Lucas Heights nuclear reactor in Sydney. He was jailed in 2008 and served four years. In December, he slipped out of the country using his brother's passport. In October 2014, videos emerged of an Australian teenager who had joined IS threatening attacks on PM Tony Abbott, the US and the UK. The 17-year-old, named as Abdullah Elmir but who calls himself Abu Khaled, was believed be in Syria.
On 21 October, a video emerged of an Australian teenager who had joined IS threatening attacks on PM Tony Abbott, the US and the UK. In March 2015 it was reported that another Australian teen, an 18-year-old Muslim convert from Melbourne, who travelled to the Middle East to fight with the Islamic State, had died in a suicide attack in Iraq.
The 17-year-old, named as Abdullah Elmir but who calls himself Abu Khaled, was believed be in Syria. He later appeared in a second video. What about the effect in Australia?
Man Haron Monis, the gunman responsible for the 15 December Sydney cafe siege, was born in Iran and sought asylum in Australia in 1996, later styling himself as a Muslim cleric and "spiritual healer". Two men believed to have been recruiting people to fight in Syria were arrested in September 2014, when authorities raided an Islamic centre in Brisbane, Queensland. One man was believed to be the brother of Abu Asma al Australia, said to be the first Australian suicide bomber to die in Syria.
The 50-year-old faced multiple criminal charges. Officials are still investigating his exact motive for taking hostages. That same month, authorities revealed an an apparent plot to kill members of the public selected at random, linked to an intercepted phone call involving Baryalei. More than 800 policemen conducted raids across Sydney which resulted in 15 people arrested.
Profile: Man Haron Monis On 23 September, teenager Abdul Numan Haider - described by police as a known terror suspect - stabbed two counter-terrorism officers at a police station in Victoria state. He was shot dead.
What do we know about their activities? Australia saw its most high-profile threat on 15 December, when self-styled cleric Man Haron Monis took hostages in a Sydney cafe.
The problem caught national attention earlier this year as conflicts in Iraq and Syria intensified. Two hostages were killed and Iranian-born Monis was shot dead. He had asked for an IS flag during the siege, but no evidence of direct links with the group has been reported.
In July an 18-year-old from Melbourne blew himself and several others up in a suicide bomb attack in Iraq. Authorities said he was the second Australian suicide bomber. In February 2015 two men, Omar Al-Kutobi and Mohammad Kiad, were arrested and charged with planning a terror act in Sydney.
Images then emerged of Sharrouf and another Australian IS fighter brandishing the severed heads of what appeared to be Syrian government soldiers. A young boy presumed to be Sharrouf's son was holding a head in one image.
In September, authorities raided an Islamic centre in Brisbane, Queensland, arresting two men believed to have been recruiting people to fight in Syria. One was believed to be the brother of Abu Asma al Australia, said to be the first Australian suicide bomber to die in Syria.
On 12 September, Australia raised its terror threat level from medium to high - meaning that an attack was likely. This was followed a week later by terror raids linked to an apparent plot to kill members of the public selected at random, linked to an intercepted phone call involving Mohammad Ali Baryalei.
What is the government doing?What is the government doing?
In early October, Australia joined the US-led coalition carrying out raids on IS sites, with Prime Minister Tony Abbott saying it was a "death cult" that must be stopped. In September 2014, Australia raised its terror threat level from medium to high - meaning that an attack was likely.
A first set of national security measures including tougher restrictions on media reporting of special intelligence operations was passed in early October. In early October, it joined the US-led coalition carrying out raids on IS sites, with Prime Minister Tony Abbott saying it was a "death cult" that must be stopped.
The second phase, anti-terror legislation to target home-grown extremists, passed later that month. It passed legislation making it easier for the government to cancel passports and ban Australians from travelling to certain areas, and has now banned travel to the Iraqi city of Mosul and Syria's Raqqa province, which are IS strongholds.
Mr Abbott said the legislation would make it easier to "charge and to prosecute people who have been engaged in terrorist activities overseas". It would also make it harder for Australians to travel to certain countries without a valid reason. Most recently, it committed 300 more troops to help train the Iraqi army to fight against IS.
How has the Muslim community in Australia reacted?How has the Muslim community in Australia reacted?
Australia's mostly overseas-born Muslim community makes up just 2.2% of the country's population, according to the 2011 census.Australia's mostly overseas-born Muslim community makes up just 2.2% of the country's population, according to the 2011 census.
Prominent community representatives have condemned extremist violence. The Grand Mufti - the top Muslim religious authority in the country - told Fairfax Media: "We are the first ones to oppose anyone who may think of harming Australian society." Prominent community representatives, including the Grand Mufti who is the country's top Muslim authority, have condemned extremist violence.
But they have also criticised the Australian government's anti-terror laws, saying they would restrict freedoms and harm relations with the Muslim community. But they have also criticised the Australian government's anti-terror laws, saying they restrict freedoms and harm relations with the Muslim community.
They have raised concerns that Australia's military involvement in Middle East conflicts would stoke radicalisation at home. And campaigners have also reported a rise in verbal or physical attacks on Muslims in recent months.They have raised concerns that Australia's military involvement in Middle East conflicts would stoke radicalisation at home. And campaigners have also reported a rise in verbal or physical attacks on Muslims in recent months.
The Grand Mufti and the Australian National Imams Council issued a joint statement condemning the 15 December Sydney cafe siege, saying they did not know the motivation of the hostage-taker but that "such actions are denounced in part and in whole in Islam".
How anti-Muslim sentiment hit one AustralianHow anti-Muslim sentiment hit one Australian