Iran had ‘demanded’ extradition of Sydney hostage-taker

Iran's police chief says the country had demanded the extradition of the Sydeny hostage-taker 14 years ago over fraud charges but was turned down by the Australian authorities 

Iran had demanded the extradition of the Sydney hostage-taker Man Haron Monis 14 years ago over charges of fraud, Iran’s police chief said. However, he said that this request was rejected by the Australian authorities because Tehran and Canberra did not have an extradition agreement.

Iran’s government said it had warned Australia about Monis, who had fled his homelad claiming persecution. In 1996, Monis established a travel agency in Iran but fled with his clients’ money, according to Iran's police chief General Ismail Ahmadi Moghadda. Australia then accepted him as a refugee.

"We have repeatedly communicated to the Australian government the hostage-taker's psychological and criminal background since he fled Iran two decades ago and sought refuge in Australia, and that country was fully aware of his identity," Iranian foreign ministry spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham said on Tuesday.

Three people, including Monis, were killed after heavily-armed policemen stormed a café in Sydney on Tuesday where Monis had kept hostages at gunpoint for around 16 hours. Police are now investigating whether the two captives were killed by Monis or died in the crossfire between Monis and the police.

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott admitted that his country’s security system had failed to keep track of Monis’ movements and pledged a transparent investigation into the events leading up to the deadly café attack, including why Monis was not on any watch list, how he had acquired a permanent residency and how he had obtained a gun.

"The system did not adequately deal with this individual, there is no doubt about that," Abbott told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation radio on Wednesday.

"Two very decent people are dead, others are injured, others are traumatised because of a madman who was roaming our streets.”

Monis, a self-styled sheikh, had previously been charged in Australia as an accessory to murder, along with several counts of sexual and indecent assault. He had been freed on bail. In his speech on Wednesday, Abbott also raised concerns over his country’s bail system.