Cairns News published these facts soon after the Lindt Café shootings. We reported that the firearms the police used were unsuitable for such a siege situation. Cairns News is vindicated yet again.
JANET FIFE-YEOMANS The Daily Telegraph
Man Monis shot cafe manager Tori Johnson during the Lindt Cafe siege in 2014. Picture: AAP Image/Dean Lewins
SERVING or former senior Australian Defence Force officers who have been anonymously slamming the police handling of the Lindt siege could be forced to give evidence at the inquest.
They have criticised the weapons, bullets, training and capability of the police to manage the December siege, according to reports in The Australian newspaper.
The newspaper also quoted sources stating that the ADF had warned police commanders that they may not have the capability to handle the siege and that the ammunition they used may harm the hostages because they could shatter at close quarters.
Counsel assisting the inquest Jeremy Gormly SC today invited those sources to come forward and give evidence to the inquest into the siege.
He said there had been an “ongoing and simmering” public debate about whether there should have been more ADF involvement and this needed to be examined in public.
Mr Gormly said the federal government was considering the use of the ADF in domestic terrorist incidents as were other countries including the UK, US, New Zealand and Canada.