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Australia Tries to Figure Out How Gunman Eluded Counterterrorism Effort Australia Tries to Figure Out How Gunman Eluded Counterterrorism Effort
(35 minutes later)
SYDNEY, Australia — The Australian authorities came under increasing pressure Wednesday to explain why the gunman in the armed siege at a Sydney cafe that left two hostages dead was not being monitored despite his criminal record and public airings of his radical views.SYDNEY, Australia — The Australian authorities came under increasing pressure Wednesday to explain why the gunman in the armed siege at a Sydney cafe that left two hostages dead was not being monitored despite his criminal record and public airings of his radical views.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott on Wednesday said the gunman, Man Haron Monis, “had been of interest to our security agencies” but was not on a government watch list.Prime Minister Tony Abbott on Wednesday said the gunman, Man Haron Monis, “had been of interest to our security agencies” but was not on a government watch list.
“And we want to know why,” Mr. Abbott said in a radio interview Wednesday morning. “We want to know why he wasn’t being monitored.”“And we want to know why,” Mr. Abbott said in a radio interview Wednesday morning. “We want to know why he wasn’t being monitored.”
“The system did not adequately deal with the individual, there is no doubt about that,” Mr. Abbott said.“The system did not adequately deal with the individual, there is no doubt about that,” Mr. Abbott said.
Mr. Monis, who was fatally shot by the police on Tuesday after the 16-hour siege of a restaurant in downtown Sydney, was facing trial on a number of charges, including being an accessory to the murder of his former wife.Mr. Monis, who was fatally shot by the police on Tuesday after the 16-hour siege of a restaurant in downtown Sydney, was facing trial on a number of charges, including being an accessory to the murder of his former wife.
He was convicted of harassing families of Australian soldiers killed in Afghanistan and lost his final appeal in that case on Friday, three days before he went to the restaurant and took the people there hostage. In April, he was also charged in the sexual assault of a woman in western Sydney in 2002. Forty more counts of sexual assault involving six other women were later added to that case. He was convicted of harassing the families of Australian soldiers killed in Afghanistan and lost his final appeal in that case on Friday, three days before he went to the restaurant and took the people there hostage. In April, he was also charged in the sexual assault of a woman in western Sydney in 2002. Forty more counts of sexual assault involving six other women were later added to that case.
The police on Wednesday raided the southwest Sydney home that Mr. Monis and his girlfriend, Amirzh Droudis, shared, raising questions over whether she might have played some role in Mr. Monis’s plans. The police on Wednesday raided the southwest Sydney home Mr. Monis shared with his girlfriend, Amirzh Droudis, raising questions over whether she might have played some role in Mr. Monis’s plans.
Ms. Droudis has been charged with stabbing and burning to death Mr. Monis’s former wife last year.Ms. Droudis has been charged with stabbing and burning to death Mr. Monis’s former wife last year.
The seriousness of the charges facing Mr. Monis and Ms. Droudis have led to questions as to why they were let out on bail. The seriousness of the charges facing Mr. Monis and Ms. Droudis — Mr. Monis’s former wife, Noleen Hayson Pal, was stabbed 18 times and set on fire — have led to questions as to why the two were let out on bail.
The premier of New South Wales, Mike Baird, said Tuesday that he had requested police and justice officials to speed the implementation of laws that would make the criteria for bail more restrictive. The changes to the bail laws were decided well before the siege, but the laws were not to be implemented until next year. Daryl Pearce, the magistrate who granted them bail last December, was reported in the Australian news media at the time to have said that bail was a “simple matter of fairness” and that the prosecution’s case was weak. Mr. Monis argued at the hearing that the Iranian secret service was trying to frame him.
The premier of New South Wales, Mike Baird, said Tuesday that he had requested police and justice officials to speed the implementation of laws that would make the criteria for bail more restrictive. The changes to the bail laws were decided well before the siege, but the laws were not to be enforced until next year.
The violence at the Lindt Chocolate Cafe also left at least three people wounded. A total 17 people were taken hostage when Mr. Monis, armed with a gun, entered the cafe on Monday morning.The violence at the Lindt Chocolate Cafe also left at least three people wounded. A total 17 people were taken hostage when Mr. Monis, armed with a gun, entered the cafe on Monday morning.
Earlier this year, the Australian government introduced a raft of laws in response to what Mr. Abbott called a growing threat that the Islamic State would attempt a bold act of terrorism on Australian soil. The Australian government introduced a raft of laws this year in response to what Mr. Abbott called a growing threat that the Islamic State, the militant group in Iraq and Syria, would attempt a bold act of terrorism on Australian soil.
The laws, which passed Parliament with wide support, made it an offense to advocate terrorism, barred Australians from going to fight overseas, allowed the authorities to confiscate and cancel passports, and provided for the sharing of information between security services and defense personnel.The laws, which passed Parliament with wide support, made it an offense to advocate terrorism, barred Australians from going to fight overseas, allowed the authorities to confiscate and cancel passports, and provided for the sharing of information between security services and defense personnel.
The government also deployed hundreds of police officers in counterterrorism sweeps across the country.The government also deployed hundreds of police officers in counterterrorism sweeps across the country.
That none of these measures prevented this week’s attack has stoked a debate on the effectiveness of counterterrorism measures and their limitations against men like Mr. Monis, who may have been overlooked because he did not travel overseas and was not believed to be part of a gang or a terrorist network. That none of these measures prevented this week’s attack has stoked a debate on the effectiveness of counterterrorism measures and their limitations against men like Mr. Monis. He may have been overlooked because he did not travel overseas and was not believed to be part of a gang or a terrorist network.
“The new laws don’t add anything to what can be done in advance in a situation like the siege,” said Bret Walker, a lawyer who was Australia’s first independent monitor for national security laws.“The new laws don’t add anything to what can be done in advance in a situation like the siege,” said Bret Walker, a lawyer who was Australia’s first independent monitor for national security laws.
“The real problem is not a legal issue or something the new laws can fix, but marginalized and radicalized people who may in fact not be breaking counterterrorism laws,” said Peter Jennings, the executive director of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute.“The real problem is not a legal issue or something the new laws can fix, but marginalized and radicalized people who may in fact not be breaking counterterrorism laws,” said Peter Jennings, the executive director of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute.
Raffaello Pantucci, the director of international security studies at the Royal United Services Institute in London, said terrorist groups had been pushing the notion of a “lone actor.”Raffaello Pantucci, the director of international security studies at the Royal United Services Institute in London, said terrorist groups had been pushing the notion of a “lone actor.”
“The attack package is a very low-grade effort,” Mr. Pantucci said. “You don’t tell anyone about it, and that makes it very difficult for intelligence agencies to pick these people up.”“The attack package is a very low-grade effort,” Mr. Pantucci said. “You don’t tell anyone about it, and that makes it very difficult for intelligence agencies to pick these people up.”
The Islamic State issued a call in September for a supporter to snatch an Australian at random and behead him.The Islamic State issued a call in September for a supporter to snatch an Australian at random and behead him.
The police said Tuesday that they would step up patrols of “iconic locations” in Sydney and transportation hubs for the next three weeks.The police said Tuesday that they would step up patrols of “iconic locations” in Sydney and transportation hubs for the next three weeks.