Prime Suspect of Sydney Siege

Police identified the hostage taker as Man Haron Monis, self-styled Muslim cleric was born in Iran and sought political asylum in Australia in 1996. Open sources reported that Haron is well known to the Australian police and is currently on bail for being an accessory to the murder of his ex-wife. He is also facing more than 40 sexual and indecent assault charges.

Abbott told reporters that the gunman was already well-known to authorities, and that he had a "long history of violent crime, infatuation with extremism and mental instability."

 Man Haron Monis

Monis, seen outside a court in Sydney in 2009, 

has been convicted of sending offensive letters to the families of deceased Australian soldiers

 

According to his social media posts, 

the hostage-taker appears to have embraced a radical Sunni theology.

 Photo source: BBC