Lindt Cafe siege inquest: The many calls about Man Monis in the days before

THE intelligence chief at the Lindt cafe siege was unaware of a flood of calls to the National Security Hotline about gunman Man Monis just days earlier — despite his officers investigating six of them.

Deputy Commissioner Cath Burn’s part during the Lindt Cafe siege was mentioned at the inquest today. Picture: Cameron Richardson

THE intelligence chief at the Lindt cafe siege was unaware of a flood of calls to the National Security Hotline about gunman Man Monis just days earlier — despite his officers investigating six of them.

The latest revelation of communication breakdowns during the siege came as the inquest also heard more evidence of Deputy Commissioner Cath Burn’s involvement.

Ms Burn “did not give any order, direction or provide any guidance or advice” to do with the deadly December 2014 siege, counsel for the police Ian Freckelton QC has told the inquest.

But yesterday the police Terrorism Intelligence Unit’s (TIU) commander said that early in the afternoon of the siege’s first day, December 15, he was told to provide her with an updated profile of Monis.

“What role did you understand she was playing in the siege?” counsel assisting the inquest Sophie Callan asked the officer.

The officer, who cannot be identified, replied: “I didn’t understand what role she was playing. I was asked to provide a copy to her.”

Police officers during the Lindt Cafe siege. Picture: Chris McKeen

His unit is part of the Counter Terrorism and Special Tactics Command, for which Ms Burn has responsibility.

The inquest has already heard that at 10.50pm Ms Burn telephoned commander in charge of the siege Assistant Commissioner Mark Jenkins and asked him about negotiations with Monis, which had reached stalemate.

Ms Burn and NSW Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione have both been asked to make statements to the inquest after pressure from the families of victims Tori Johnson and Katrina Dawson. It is not yet known whether they will be called to give evidence.

Police stormed the cafe after Monis shot Mr Johnson dead at 2.13am on December 16. Ms Dawson died after being hit by seven fragments of police bullets.

Police during the evening of the siege. Picture: Chris McKeen

The inquest has heard that between December 9 and December 12, 2014, the National Security Hotline received 18 calls complaining about offensive material on Monis’s Facebook page.

Six of those calls were referred to police, investigated by the TIU officer’s team and dismissed as Monis was not considered an imminent threat.

The TIU boss was based at the police command centre as head of the Joint Intelligence Group, tasked with providing strategic and tactical intelligence support and finding out who the gunman was.

Yesterday he spoke of his “concern” he was not told of the calls until the siege was over.

“They were reviewed by my team on 10 and 11 December and assessed,” he said.

He said he had no criticism of the assessments that cleared Monis as a threat and “rigid quality assurance” systems had been put in place to prevent similar communications breakdowns.

Training was also being provided in “flow of information” after it took more than 2 ½ hours for information from homicide detectives, who identified Monis at noon on December 15, to reach the police command centre.

In another communications lapse, it was learned a Lindt cafe staffer supposed to be on duty that day had called Triple 0 at 10.30am to provide the names of hostages and other “valuable” information but no one called her back.

The inquest in Sydney continues on Monday.