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| Melbourne man shot dead was 'known terror suspect', authorities say | Melbourne man shot dead was 'known terror suspect', authorities say |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| An 18-year-old man shot dead by police officers in Melbourne on Tuesday night had made no specific threat in the lead-up to his death but was a “known terror suspect” and person of interest to security agencies and had displayed concerning behaviour, authorities have said. | An 18-year-old man shot dead by police officers in Melbourne on Tuesday night had made no specific threat in the lead-up to his death but was a “known terror suspect” and person of interest to security agencies and had displayed concerning behaviour, authorities have said. |
| The man from Narre Warren, who sources have said is Abdul Numan Haider, is alleged to have stabbed two officers – one from the Australian federal police (AFP) and one from Victoria police – as he arrived at Endeavour Hills police station in Melbourne’s south-eastern suburbs, police have said. | The man from Narre Warren, who sources have said is Abdul Numan Haider, is alleged to have stabbed two officers – one from the Australian federal police (AFP) and one from Victoria police – as he arrived at Endeavour Hills police station in Melbourne’s south-eastern suburbs, police have said. |
| The AFP officer was stabbed several times; his Victorian colleague, who was stabbed twice in the forearm, fired the fatal shot. | The AFP officer was stabbed several times; his Victorian colleague, who was stabbed twice in the forearm, fired the fatal shot. |
| The federal justice minister, Michael Keenan, had earlier confirmed Haider was a “known terror suspect who was a person of interest to law enforcement and intelligence agencies”. | The federal justice minister, Michael Keenan, had earlier confirmed Haider was a “known terror suspect who was a person of interest to law enforcement and intelligence agencies”. |
| The Victoria police officer was taken to the nearby Dandenong hospital and remained in a stable condition on Wednesday. The AFP officer, who was more seriously injured, was taken to the Alfred hospital and remained in a serious but stable condition. | The Victoria police officer was taken to the nearby Dandenong hospital and remained in a stable condition on Wednesday. The AFP officer, who was more seriously injured, was taken to the Alfred hospital and remained in a serious but stable condition. |
| On Wednesday the Victoria police chief commissioner, Ken Lay, said Haider had made no specific threat but was known to police. Lay confirmed his passport had been cancelled recently but would not confirm or deny claims that he had threatened the prime minister, Tony Abbott. | On Wednesday the Victoria police chief commissioner, Ken Lay, said Haider had made no specific threat but was known to police. Lay confirmed his passport had been cancelled recently but would not confirm or deny claims that he had threatened the prime minister, Tony Abbott. |
| Abbott, speaking en route to New York, described the attack as “fierce”. | Abbott, speaking en route to New York, described the attack as “fierce”. |
| “Obviously this indicates there are people in our community who are capable of very extreme acts,” he said in the video message. | “Obviously this indicates there are people in our community who are capable of very extreme acts,” he said in the video message. |
| “It also indicates the police will be constantly vigilant to protect us against people who would do us harm.” | “It also indicates the police will be constantly vigilant to protect us against people who would do us harm.” |
| The acting prime minister, Warren Truss, told parliament on Wednesday afternoon that violence against police would “never be tolerated” but called for the community to remain calm and allow the investigation into the shooting to continue. | |
| “Violence against anyone based on their religion or race is never acceptable” he added, saying to do so would just “give in” to the terrorist groups. | |
| Truss also revealed that the injured AFP officer was a 43-year-old man with a wife and two children. | |
| The opposition leader, Bill Shorten, told parliament his thoughts were with the officers’ families and colleagues and with the family of Haider, “who might be asking themselves more questions than there are answers.” | |
| “In their grief they’ll be asking how did it come to this, what drove the boy they love to this desperate end?” he said. | |
| “We must ask ourselves why would a very small number of people raised in Australia be attracted to the cause of [Isis] and the like.” | |
| Lay told reporters in Melbourne that police first became aware of Haider about three months ago, adding that police interest was “greatly heightened” late last week after learning of some concerning behaviour. | Lay told reporters in Melbourne that police first became aware of Haider about three months ago, adding that police interest was “greatly heightened” late last week after learning of some concerning behaviour. |
| He said police had received reports of him attending a shopping centre with an Isis flag. | He said police had received reports of him attending a shopping centre with an Isis flag. |
| “It’s not an offence but clearly it drew our attention to this person,” said Lay. | “It’s not an offence but clearly it drew our attention to this person,” said Lay. |
| “It wasn’t specific, but on this occasion we made the decision we needed to talk to him a little more about what his thoughts and motivations might be.” | “It wasn’t specific, but on this occasion we made the decision we needed to talk to him a little more about what his thoughts and motivations might be.” |
| Haider was asked to come to the police station and talk to the joint counter-terrorism team, and he asked for the meeting to be in the car park rather than inside the station. It was there the attack and shooting death took place. | Haider was asked to come to the police station and talk to the joint counter-terrorism team, and he asked for the meeting to be in the car park rather than inside the station. It was there the attack and shooting death took place. |
| “He has then carried out an unprovoked attack on the two officers at about 7.45pm,” Keenan said in a statement to media in Canberra on Wednesday. “The incident occurred during a police investigation and it appears that the shooting by the police officer was in self defence. | “He has then carried out an unprovoked attack on the two officers at about 7.45pm,” Keenan said in a statement to media in Canberra on Wednesday. “The incident occurred during a police investigation and it appears that the shooting by the police officer was in self defence. |
| “Whilst this is a horrible incident we do need to remain calm and go about our daily lives. The police are our front line against people who wish to do us harm and it is exactly this type of bravery and dedication shown by these officers that will continue to keep our communities safe and secure.” | “Whilst this is a horrible incident we do need to remain calm and go about our daily lives. The police are our front line against people who wish to do us harm and it is exactly this type of bravery and dedication shown by these officers that will continue to keep our communities safe and secure.” |
| Keenan issued a call for calm, in an apparent acknowledgment of the risk the “horrible incident” could inflame tensions at a time of major changes to Australia’s counter-terrorism laws and deployment of forces to the Middle East. | Keenan issued a call for calm, in an apparent acknowledgment of the risk the “horrible incident” could inflame tensions at a time of major changes to Australia’s counter-terrorism laws and deployment of forces to the Middle East. |
| Keenan said the public should feel confident that the police, the security services and the government were “taking every possible step to ensure their safety and the security of all our communities” and should “remain calm and let the authorities get on with their job”. | Keenan said the public should feel confident that the police, the security services and the government were “taking every possible step to ensure their safety and the security of all our communities” and should “remain calm and let the authorities get on with their job”. |
| He said the government’s thoughts were “with the injured officers and their families at this time”. Keenan refused to take any questions, saying “aspects of this incident are still ongoing”. | He said the government’s thoughts were “with the injured officers and their families at this time”. Keenan refused to take any questions, saying “aspects of this incident are still ongoing”. |
| Victoria police’s assistant commissioner, Luke Cornelius, said on Tuesday night the two officers had no idea the 18-year-old posed a threat. | Victoria police’s assistant commissioner, Luke Cornelius, said on Tuesday night the two officers had no idea the 18-year-old posed a threat. |
| “It’s absolutely clear to us that our members had no choice other than to act in the way in which they did,” he said. “This is not an exercise in police seeking to single out particular individuals in the community.” | “It’s absolutely clear to us that our members had no choice other than to act in the way in which they did,” he said. “This is not an exercise in police seeking to single out particular individuals in the community.” |
| Lawyers have cautioned against police making public statements which prejudge the investigation; one labelled the comments inappropriate and against police spokesperson guidelines. | Lawyers have cautioned against police making public statements which prejudge the investigation; one labelled the comments inappropriate and against police spokesperson guidelines. |
| Michelle McDonnell, senior policy adviser at the Victorian Federation of Community Legal Centres, said the police may have acted entirely responsibly but the facts had to be established by the coroner. | Michelle McDonnell, senior policy adviser at the Victorian Federation of Community Legal Centres, said the police may have acted entirely responsibly but the facts had to be established by the coroner. |
| “These unfortunate comments are similar to those made by Victoria police after a fatal police shooting in 2013 which attracted public criticism from the coroner investigating the death,” she said. | “These unfortunate comments are similar to those made by Victoria police after a fatal police shooting in 2013 which attracted public criticism from the coroner investigating the death,” she said. |
| “By making comments within a few hours of the death to the effect that police had no other choice but to shoot call into question the ability of Victoria police to conduct the investigation impartially and independently.” | “By making comments within a few hours of the death to the effect that police had no other choice but to shoot call into question the ability of Victoria police to conduct the investigation impartially and independently.” |
| Cornelius earlier said he was giving more information than usual to ensure the public understood the full circumstances. He said there was concern a lack of details could prompt retaliation. | Cornelius earlier said he was giving more information than usual to ensure the public understood the full circumstances. He said there was concern a lack of details could prompt retaliation. |
| “Of course I’m worried about it, which is why we’ve gone to extraordinary lengths to explain what’s happened … so the absence of information isn’t filled by speculation,” he said. | “Of course I’m worried about it, which is why we’ve gone to extraordinary lengths to explain what’s happened … so the absence of information isn’t filled by speculation,” he said. |
| A crime scene was established which encompassed a nearby car that News Corp reported was believed to belong to the dead man. | A crime scene was established which encompassed a nearby car that News Corp reported was believed to belong to the dead man. |
| Bomb squad officers and police dogs carried out checks of the police station after the shooting but Cornelius said the measures were precautionary. | Bomb squad officers and police dogs carried out checks of the police station after the shooting but Cornelius said the measures were precautionary. |
| Officers from the homicide squad and professional standards were investigating. | Officers from the homicide squad and professional standards were investigating. |
| The Victorian premier, Denis Napthine, urged the community to carry on as usual, and not be discouraged from attending events such as the AFL grand final. | The Victorian premier, Denis Napthine, urged the community to carry on as usual, and not be discouraged from attending events such as the AFL grand final. |
| “People should feel safe and confident about participating in those activities and events,” he said. | “People should feel safe and confident about participating in those activities and events,” he said. |
| Napthine said he had asked his minister for multicultural affairs to reach out to faith leaders across the state, and said it was “critical” no particular group was singled out or targeted. | Napthine said he had asked his minister for multicultural affairs to reach out to faith leaders across the state, and said it was “critical” no particular group was singled out or targeted. |
| “It’s not about faith, it’s not about ethnicity. It is about the alleged behaviour of an individual,” he said. | “It’s not about faith, it’s not about ethnicity. It is about the alleged behaviour of an individual,” he said. |
| The Islamic Council of Victoria (ICV) called for a full investigation, saying the tragedy showed the need for the government “to deal with the root causes of alienation and disaffection of people such as this”. | The Islamic Council of Victoria (ICV) called for a full investigation, saying the tragedy showed the need for the government “to deal with the root causes of alienation and disaffection of people such as this”. |
| The ICV noted the tragedy “with deep sorrow”. | The ICV noted the tragedy “with deep sorrow”. |
| “Events that on face value should not have cost a young man his life and and put two police officers in hospital,” the council said in a statement to the ABC. | “Events that on face value should not have cost a young man his life and and put two police officers in hospital,” the council said in a statement to the ABC. |
| “The tragedy highlights the real cost of a failure to deal with these serious issues and why we have made numerous calls on the Australian government to deal with the root causes of alienation and disaffection of people such as this. | “The tragedy highlights the real cost of a failure to deal with these serious issues and why we have made numerous calls on the Australian government to deal with the root causes of alienation and disaffection of people such as this. |
| “This is not about laying blame but about a genuine need to identify the root causes and deal with them so that no further tragedies such as this occur again.” | “This is not about laying blame but about a genuine need to identify the root causes and deal with them so that no further tragedies such as this occur again.” |
| During a Senate debate on the national security bill, Concetta Fierravanti-Wells, the parliamentary secretary to the minister for social services, emphasised the need to reach out to Muslims and said the incident reinforced the need for intervention. | During a Senate debate on the national security bill, Concetta Fierravanti-Wells, the parliamentary secretary to the minister for social services, emphasised the need to reach out to Muslims and said the incident reinforced the need for intervention. |
| “Young people become disenfranchised for any number of reasons,” she said. “When this happens, they become vulnerable. They turn to drugs, gangs, crimes or other activities. | “Young people become disenfranchised for any number of reasons,” she said. “When this happens, they become vulnerable. They turn to drugs, gangs, crimes or other activities. |
| “What we are seeing with some young people is this disenfranchisement manifesting itself in radicalisation. They are vulnerable and susceptible to being preyed on by those intent on radicalising them, especially through social media.” | “What we are seeing with some young people is this disenfranchisement manifesting itself in radicalisation. They are vulnerable and susceptible to being preyed on by those intent on radicalising them, especially through social media.” |
| The incident comes amid heightened tension in Australia. Abbott has committed a 600-strong military force to the US-led coalition of more than 40 countries against Isis. The militant group has urged its supporters to kill civilians and soldiers in countries – including Australia – taking part in the action. | The incident comes amid heightened tension in Australia. Abbott has committed a 600-strong military force to the US-led coalition of more than 40 countries against Isis. The militant group has urged its supporters to kill civilians and soldiers in countries – including Australia – taking part in the action. |
| Last week more than 800 police officers carried out the largest counter-terrorism raids in the country’s history. | Last week more than 800 police officers carried out the largest counter-terrorism raids in the country’s history. |
| The Abbott government has plans for tough new anti-terrorism legislation, including a law that could see Australian citizens jailed if they travel to any area overseas the government has declared off limits and are unable to show a legitimate reason for doing so. | The Abbott government has plans for tough new anti-terrorism legislation, including a law that could see Australian citizens jailed if they travel to any area overseas the government has declared off limits and are unable to show a legitimate reason for doing so. |
| Earlier this month it raised the country’s terrorism alert level to high for the first time in 11 years. | Earlier this month it raised the country’s terrorism alert level to high for the first time in 11 years. |