Lindt siege inquest: Families and survivors support beleaguered police

THE survivors of the Lindt Cafe siege and the relatives of those who died said police have “nothing to be afraid of” after the Coroner’s damning report­.

• LINDT STORY — Chapter 1: How a devil played us for fools
• Chapter 2: ‘The country is under attack’
• Chapter 3: The race to name a terrorist madman
• Chapter 4: The gunman and his hostages
• Chapter 5: Dead calm and then a storm
• Chapter 6: Staring death in the eyes

THE survivors of the Lindt Cafe siege and the relatives of those who died said police have “nothing to be afraid of” after the Coroner ­delivered his damning report­.

During the ordeal Louisa Hope was manhandled by Man Monis as he wielded a gun and threatened to kill the hostages after several people escaped. Yesterday she said the inquest was vital given the ongoing terror threat in Australia but expressed her ­relief that it was finally over.

“Critical analysis is not a bad thing, it is good for all of us as we all try to negotiate living in this new age of terror, we all need to consider new things and new ways, and as a community we all come together and support our police,” Ms Hope said.

READ THE POLICE VERSION OF EVENTS IN FULL

Alexander and Jane Dawson, the parents of Lindt Cafe siege victim Katrina Dawson. Picture: AAP

 

Lindt siege victim Tori Johnsonas shot dead by Monis

Lindt siege victim Katrina Dawson died as police stormed the cafe

“So there will be things to be reviewed and considered. It is nothing to be afraid of. It is ­really a wonderful thing that this is over now, it has been a very stressful time as you would understand and getting back to normal will be lovely.”

She told the ABC this week she was shocked during the ­inquest to learn police decided not to act until someone was killed by Monis. “I can’t fully express how shocking that news was to me,” she said

Tori Johnson’s mother Rosie Connellan pre-empted the inquest findings when she took to Facebook on Monday to express dismay police ­waited to enter the cafe until after her son was shot dead.

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Tori Johnson’s parents Rosie Connellan and Ken Johnson with the cafe manager’s partner Thomas Zinn (centre). Picture: John Grainger

“This gentle soul HAD to die before police would enter the Lindt Cafe to rescue anyone. It’s a national disgrace. To say this is a witch hunt against the police means they have learnt nothing from this tragedy! The tears keep rolling,” she wrote.

And Mr Johnson’s partner Thomas Zinn made an emotional statement outside court yesterday in which he described the findings as “shocking”. “It’s been a very long, emotional, frustrating process for all of us. Two-and-a-half years ago, we could have not imagined what was lying ahead of us, and what was going to be revealed in this ­inquest,” Mr Zinn said.

Angus Dawson, the brother of Lindt Cafe siege victim Katrina Dawson. Picture: AAP

“Throughout the inquest, one shocking discovery followed the next, soon it became apparent that we were not simply fighting for the truth of the circumstances of Tori and Katrina’s deaths. Rather, we were confronted with systemic failures of various authorities who at times were confused, ill-informed, unprepared and under-resourced to deal with Monis throughout the bail process and later on during the siege.

“While we have been shocked by these failures, I would like to make it clear our family has high regard and respect for the officers who put their lives at risk after waiting so long for orders to act, and we acknowledge the grief and trauma that they have experienced.”

He said the family would take time to consider the findings in detail.

A hostage runs to safety during the Lindt siege. Picture: Chris McKeen

Lindt siege gunman Man Haron Monis.

“The pain deep in our hearts from losing Tori is as strong now as it was in December 2014. Everyone who knew Tori would agree we have lost a guardian angel,” Mr Zinn said.

Tori’s father Ken added: “Tori’s act of bravery is a testimony that we are capable of love, peace and tolerance. Thank you.”

Hostage John O’Brien yesterday said the police response was “appropriate” and supported the recommendation to ­embolden officers to kill terrorists before they harm a victim.

“The police were hamstrung by the contain and negotiate (policy), they couldn’t do anything such as a sniper taking him out — they could have been charged with murder,” Mr O’Brien said.

“They shouldn’t have to wait until someone is in ­immediate danger of losing their life before they can kill. Monis wasn’t talking to them and they should have had the option to go in and neutralise him and free him without fear of being prosecuted.”

But fellow hostage Marcia Mikhael said the findings were “too lenient”.

“(Coroner Michael Barnes) was way too lenient, especially on the senior management for the police,” she told Channel 7.

She said tha5t Mr Barnes should have come down hard on then police commissioner Andrew Scipione and his deputy Catherine Burn for heading home.

Lindt Siege in 24 iconic images

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“I believe the fact that Scipione and Burn left early to get some rest is completely and ­utterly unacceptable,” Ms ­Mikhael said.

The findings revealed the families of the hostages were locked in the reception centre of the NSW Supreme Court building in a non-air-conditioned office and cut off from media coverage of the event.

Mr Barnes was critical of the police for choosing a ­location so close to the Lindt Cafe where events could be easily heard, contributing to the stress the families endured. The reception centre also had no TV and police denied ­repeated requests from the families for one, which Mr Barnes said was “hard to understand”.

 

The families were fed “inappropriate and inadequate” ­information by the NSW Police as their loved ones were terrorised by Monis.

“Katrina Dawson’s family were in some respects treated inappropriately,” Mr Barnes said. “Information was unduly delayed about her death.”

Police told the family members about 3am that one hostage had been killed, several were injured while others had escaped and Monis was dead.

It was not until two hours later that the Dawson and Johnson families were ­informed of their loved ones’ deaths by which time they had already made that deduction for themselves.

Mr Barnes made five recommendations regarding the treatment of families of victims in high-risk situations. This included police assigning a family liaisons officer to each family.