MOURNING: Australia’s brush with terrorism, 2 dead after 16 hour hostage situation

It was a huge relief to see the end of the 16 hour siege on Sydney Ausralia, led by an Islamic gunman in a café in the city. But it is sad that two innocent people died, along with the terrorist. Commandos had stormed the Lindt café to end the siege. 

Australian prime minister, Tony Abbott, and his wife, Margie, lay flowers at the scene. Photo: Nikki Short/AAP

Those who died have been identified as Lindt cafe manager, Tori Johnson, 34 and lawyer Katrina Dawson, 38. Four people were injured, including a policeman.

The Islamic gunman, also killed, had been identified as an Iranian refugee, Man Haron Monis who authorities said had received political asylum in Australia in 1996 and was on bail facing a number of charges.

He had seized hostages early on Monday at the Lindt Chocolat café located in Martin Place, a busy shopping district in central Sydney. He forced some of the hostages to hold up a black Islamic banner at the café’s window and after police established contact with him, he demanded to speak with the prime minister, Tony Abbott and also requested that an Islamic State flag be delivered to him.

Some of the hostages were however able to escape.

With the siege over, the dead are now being mourned in Australia and indeed, across the anti-terrorism world. Australians have been laying flowers at the scene. Flags on all government buildings have been ordered to be flown at half-mast.

According to Andrew  Scipione, New South Wales (NSW) police commissioner, there had been 17 hostages in total.

Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore joined by City of Sydney workers to lay flowers.                                Photo: Dean Lewins/EPA

In the words of Tony Abbott, the siege was a “brush with terrorism”.

“He had a long history of violent crime, infatuation with extremism and mental instability,” he said. 

“As the siege unfolded … he sought to cloak his actions with the symbolism of the ISIL death cult.”

According to SkyNEWS, After laying flowers at the scene, Abbott said:

“This has been an absolutely appalling and ugly incident – that’s the only way to describe it. Our hearts go out to the families of Katrina Dawson and Tori Johnson. These were decent ordinary people who were going about their ordinary lives. 

“Decent innocent people who were caught up in the sick fantasy of a deeply disturbed individual”