Police storm Sydney cafe, siege ends
Two hostages killed in a siege at a central Sydney cafe Tuesday (Dec 16) were hailed as heroes "willing to lay down their lives so others might live" in a church service mourning their deaths.
Tori Johnson, the 34-year-old manager of the Lindt chocolate cafe where the crisis unfolded, and 38-year-old barrister and mother-of-three Katrina Dawson died as heavily-armed police ended the 16-hour stand-off.
At a prayer service in St. Mary's Cathedral about 500m from the cafe, Archbishop Anthony Fisher spoke of how the "heart of our city is broken by the deaths of two innocents".
"Apparently seeing an opportunity, Tori Johnson grabbed the gun, tragically it went off killing him. But it triggered the response of the police and eventual freedom for most of the hostages.
"Reports have also emerged that Katrina Dawson was shielding her pregnant friend from gunfire. These heroes were willing to lay down their lives so others might live."
Johnson's parents, in a statement shared via Sydney broadcast journalist Ben Fordham, praised their "beautiful boy".
"We are so proud of our beautiful boy Tori, gone from this earth but forever in our memories as the most amazing life partner, son and brother we could ever wish for," the statement said.
Dawson, a rising star in the legal fraternity, would be greatly missed by her colleagues and friends, the NSW Bar Association said. "Katrina was was a devoted mother of three children, and a valued member of her floor and of our bar community."
The gunman, widely named in the media as Iranian-born Man Haron Monis, also died in the siege while six people were injured.
Why was gunman on bail?
One year before Man Haron Monis laid siege to a Sydney cafe, he was released on bail after being accused of involvement in his wife's murder, adding to a string of sex charges against him.
His 30-year-old wife Noleen Hayson Pal was the victim of a gruesome murder in April 2013, stabbed 18 times and set alight in western Sydney.
Monis, who arrived in Australia as a refugee from Iran in 1996, was charged as an accessory along with his then girlfriend.
A magistrate said the prosecution case was weak and granted them bail, even though Monis was already facing dozens of sexual and indecent assault charges stemming from his time as a "spiritual healer".
Prime Minister Tony Abbott described the gunman as a "deeply disturbed individual", with a "long history of crime, a long history of mental instability, and infatuation with extremism".
Monis became known to Australian authorities when he was convicted of sending offensive letters to the families of dead soldiers seven years ago. He was placed on a two-year good behaviour bond in 2013.
Solidarity for Australian Muslims after Sydney siege
One of the bouquets left on Tuesday in a sea of flowers at the site of the Sydney siege read "I will ride with you." It was as much a wholehearted message to Australia's Muslim community as to the incident's victims.
Those words are the theme of a Twitter campaign of solidarity, offering to accompany any Muslims who fear venturing onto public transport at this time, in case of a public backlash after Monday's deadly cafe siege by an Iranian-born extremist.
The campaign has raised hopes that Australia, a nation forged by waves of immigration down the decades, will be drawn together by the tragedy and not torn apart.
After counter-terror raids in September, there was a backlash that saw several mosques vandalised. Anxious to contain any damage from Monday's tragedy, more than 40 Muslim groups quickly issued a statement decrying extremists "who seek to destroy the goodwill of the people of Australia".
Officials said the gunman had no clear links to Islamic State or other militant groups, but was rather a mentally unstable man with extremist views and a history of violence.
Australia's race discrimination commissioner Tim Soutphommasane said he was heartened by the Twitter campaign, adding: "Let's not allow fear, hatred and division to triumph."
The mood was set by the Twitter hashtag #illridewithyou, which Tessa Kum tweeted on Monday to counter concern about an anti-Muslim backlash. Tens of thousands have tweeted their support. Kum said she had been inspired by another commuter.
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