Police fury at Lindt siege ‘stitch up’, inquest slammed as ‘witch hunt’

GRASSROOTS police claim the Lindt siege inquest was a “witch hunt” which unfairly targeted officers and let bungling Director of Public Prosecutions lawyers off too lightly.

• THE 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

GRASSROOTS police claim the Lindt siege inquest was a “witch hunt” which unfairly targeted officers and let bungling Director of Public Prosecutions lawyers off too lightly.

In an unprecedented attack on the Coroner’s office, the DPP and siege inquest lawyers, NSW Police Association acting boss Tony King said blame for the deaths of hostages needed to rest with deranged terrorist Man Haron Monis and the DPP for not appealing his bail before the terror strike.

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“The reason these people died was that Man Monis was out on bail — for reasons that still haven’t been explained,’’ Mr King said.

 

Lindt siege victim Tori Johnsonas shot dead by Monis

Lindt siege victim Katrina Dawson died as police stormed the cafe

Mr King will email a 3400 -word attack on the inquest to his 17,000 members today.

“This inquest has failed the community by becoming a witch hunt into policing rather than a sober level-headed search for the truth,’’ he said.

In the pre-emptive strike against any criticism by the coroner of the officers who stormed the cafe that night, Mr King details how the men all said goodbye to their families that night expecting to die.

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

Lindt siege gunman Man Haron Monis.

“The real story of the Lindt cafe is that scores of brave police officers put their lives on the line to protect the public. The 14 officers who entered the cafe did so on the assumption there was a bomb that was likely to explode,’’ he said.

“Police officers risked their lives. They acted professionally in an environment of extreme danger. Our members are devastated by the tragic loss of innocent lives but to suggest they are to blame is an absolute disgrace,’’ he said.

Lindt Siege in 24 iconic images

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Mr King said overseas inquests into terror acts were done speedily so lessons could be learned and typically took six weeks, whereas the Lindt inquest took more than 18 months. The association boss also details how many of those involved have suffered stress. “The ‘Lindt cafe diet’ has become a catchphrase for the loss of weight from stress experienced by many officers who worked that day.’’

While defending the officers who stormed the cafe and the tactics used, he puts the blame on Man Monis and the DPP for the deaths of Tori Johnson and Katrina Dawson.

“The fundamental driver of the deaths ... was never publicly scrutinised by the inquest. Monis was armed with a shotgun and presumed to be in possession of a bomb.”