The 49-year-old, who is originally from Iran, arrived in this country as a refugee in 1996 and had been living in south-west Sydney.

A self-styled sheik, his behaviour in the country caused widespread revulsion - including the sending of offensive letters to the families of dead Australian soldiers, who he described as murderers.

Earlier this year, he was also charged with sexual assault, and he was also on bail on a charge of accessory to murder, relating to the death of his ex-wife.

Sheik Man Haron Monis. Source: News Corp Australia

 

Armed with a shotgun and a flag linked to extremist groups, the radical Islamist burst into the cafe at 9.45am, taking up to 20 hostages, five of whom managed to escape.

As workers in nearby buildings were evacuated or ordered away from windows and heavily armed police moved into Martin Place, the hostages were used as human shields by Monis, who forced two to hang an Islamic flag bearing the words: “There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is his messenger” up at the window.

Sheik Man Haron Monis leaves Downing Centre Court after pleading guilty to sending offensive letters to families of dead Diggers. Source: News Limited

In a chilling phone call to The Daily Telegraph from inside the cafe, one hostage referred to Monis as “The Brother”.

The accessory to murder charge stems from the killing of his ex-wife who was allegedly stabbed and set alight in a stairwell of her Sydney apartment complex last year.

His current partner was charged with murder. The couple was given bail in Penrith Local Court, with Magistrate Darryl Pearce saying the Crown’s case was weak.

Sheik Man Haron Monis. Source: News Corp Australia

Then in March this year Monis was charged with sexually and indecently assaulting a young woman for “spiritual healing” in 2002.

His alleged victim, 27 at the time, allegedly saw an advertisement for ‘spiritual consultation’ in a local newspaper and contacted him.

He told her he was an expert in astrology, numerology, meditation and black magic and advised her to visit his clinic.

One theory being investigated yesterday was the Lindt cafe was not his primary target and he rushed in there after being spooked by members of the public who alerted police to his behaviour.

He was known to national security agencies, The Daily Telegraph can reveal.