There’s a bit of confusion in Australia over whether a suspect who allegedly shot one man and then fired on police during a hostage standoff was a solider of ISIS, as the group claims.
Today's @theheraldsun 1am edition front page pic.twitter.com/cPWJFRT6wC
— damon johnston (@damonheraldsun) June 5, 2017
Yacqub Khayre, an Australian citizen who came to the country as a child refugee, was killed by police after he fatally shot an apartment worker and took an escort hostage in Brighton, a suburb of Melbourne. It’s uncertain if the hostage situation was a means of luring police into an ambush.
Breaking: @theheraldsun can confirm gunman killed by police in Brighton siege was known to counter-terrorism police
— Paul Tatnell (@PaulTatnell) June 5, 2017
Prime Minister @TurnbullMalcolm says Brighton was "clearly a terrorist attack."
— ???????? ?????? (@samanthamaiden) June 5, 2017
PM @TurnbullMalcolm: Brighton "terrorist attack" committed by known criminal on parole. "Shocking, cowardly crime." @theheraldsun
— Tom Minear (@tminear) June 5, 2017
PM Malcolm Turnbull questions why "known violent offender" Yacqub Khayre was on parole >> https://t.co/qoewj9ufdJ pic.twitter.com/UprAhldM3v
— Herald Sun (@theheraldsun) June 5, 2017
AFP Acting Commissioner Mike Phelan: Brighton incident shows "threat from terror is real". @theheraldsun
— Tom Minear (@tminear) June 5, 2017
The Herald-Sun and other outlets are reporting that while Khayre was on parole after being convicted of a violent home invasion, he’d been acquitted in 2009 of plotting with others to attack Sydney’s Holsworthy army barracks. Three were convicted in the plot.
1. Been too busy chasing news in London to mention Melbourne. ISIS has claimed responsibility for an assailant who briefly took a hostage: pic.twitter.com/nSqRR2Mvv4
— Rukmini Callimachi (@rcallimachi) June 5, 2017
2. Events are still blurry but it appears police shot assailant who'd taken a woman hostage; 1other person is dead https://t.co/ZGzK5gLbwA
— Rukmini Callimachi (@rcallimachi) June 5, 2017
3. ISIS' claim on Amaq calls assailant "a soldier of the Islamic State" and says he was responding to calls to target coalition countries
— Rukmini Callimachi (@rcallimachi) June 5, 2017
6. Compared to the London attacks this weekend, the Melbourne claim took mere hrs for ISIS to put out. Plus they've already translated it: pic.twitter.com/hURF1NbJJo
— Rukmini Callimachi (@rcallimachi) June 5, 2017
Police aren’t sure if the hostage situation was planned or pulled off with help, but the paper reports that Khayre called the Channel 7 newsroom in Melbourne during the siege to state, “This is for IS (Islamic State) and this is for al-Qaeda.”
Forensics on scene at Brighton siege @theheraldsun pic.twitter.com/Ma6lbyFa7M
— Therese Allaoui (@ThereseAllaoui) June 5, 2017
Bomb squad now on scene at Brighton siege. Suiting up and heading into building @theheraldsun
— Therese Allaoui (@ThereseAllaoui) June 6, 2017
While there’s certain to be plenty of untangling of motives as police remove computers and other electronic items from Khayre’s home, it’s also worth noting that he’d traveled to Somalia before being put on trial for the terror plot, “his legal team argued that he was looking for religious enlightenment and harboured no plan to wage jihad in Australia.”
Brighton gunman came to Australia as a refugee, went back to Somalia to fight & received training w explosives/guns. Long criminal history.
— Rita Panahi (@RitaPanahi) June 5, 2017
Khayre had a long criminal history, which the judge who sentenced him noted:
There was an attempted armed robbery, burglaries, thefts, unlawful assault and going equipped to steal.
Khayre had stabbed a young train passenger while trying to rob him of his phone.
That crime was committed while Khayre was on bail over other matters.
Later came two firearms offences, including one of being a prohibited person in possession of a gun.
PM: ‘How was this man on parole?’ Brighton siege LATEST >> https://t.co/QZ1d7miD54 pic.twitter.com/2t8vTPZaq8
— Herald Sun (@theheraldsun) June 6, 2017
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Related:
Quid pro quo? Australian government confirms refugee swap deal with Obama administration https://t.co/jtT5Y4Ko4I
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) February 22, 2017
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