I have one of these:
and one of these:
I find constant claims by Americans that Australians are disarmed rather puzzling.
Posted on 12/15/2014 4:49:04 PM PST by naturalman1975
Early this morning the Martin Place siege ended with the death of the lone gunman and tragically, the loss of two hostages – innocent Australians caught up in the horror of yesterday.
Five other people – four hostages and a New South Wales police officer – have been injured.
State and Commonwealth agencies are investigating.
Understandably, there is lot of speculation but it will take time to clarify exactly what happened in Martin Place and why.
What we do know is that the perpetrator was well known to State and Commonwealth authorities. He had a long history of violent crime, infatuation with extremism and mental instability.
We know that he sent offensive letters to the families of Australian soldiers killed in Afghanistan and was found guilty of offences related to this. We also know that he posted graphic extremist material online.
As the siege unfolded yesterday, he sought to cloak his actions with the symbolism of the ISIL death cult.
Tragically, there are people in our community ready to engage in politically motivated violence.
The events in Martin Place also show that we are ready to deal with these people professionally and with the full force of law.
I want to thank the New South Wales Police and all the other agencies involved for their professionalism and courage.
Yesterday, Premier Baird showed great steadfastness and Sydneysiders can be proud of their calm during what was a very difficult and testing day.
Australians should be reassured by the way our law enforcement and security agencies responded to this brush with terrorism.
There is nothing more Australian than dropping in at the local cafe for a morning coffee and it's tragic beyond words that people going about their everyday business should have been caught up in such a horrific incident.
Our hearts go out to all of those caught up in this appalling incident and their loved ones.
On behalf of all Australians, I extend my sympathy to the families of the two hostages who died overnight.
These events do demonstrate that even a country as free, as open, as generous and as safe as ours is vulnerable to acts of politically motivated violence.
But they also remind us that Australia and Australians are resilient and we are ready to respond.
Now, I do intend to go to Sydney early in the afternoon to be further briefed by New South Wales Police and other security agencies. I also intend to say thank you as best I can in person to New South Wales police officers and others involved in this appalling incident.
I'll do more media then and I'll take questions at that time when we do have a better idea of exactly what has happened.
Plainly, there are lessons to be learnt and we will thoroughly examine this incident to decide what lessons can be learnt. But I do want now, in the hours immediately after the conclusion of the siege, to offer these words of comfort to those caught up in it and reassurance to the Australian people.
The loss of two innocent people in this horrific event overnight breaks our hearts. Our thoughts and prayers are with their families.
We also keep in our thoughts the wounded and other hostages, and their families. Their ordeal is not over.
We owe our full gratitude to our police and security agencies for their bravery, service and sacrifice. Their skill and professionalism has saved lives.
The Opposition continues to offer the Government its full support during this difficult time. The Prime Minister and I are partners when it comes to keeping Australians safe.
Today, all of Australia stands with Sydney.
I’m glad the PM recognizes this as a “death cult.” The U.S. has never gotten over the embarrassment of ex-Pres. Dubya calling it the “religion of peace.”
it is an interesting choice of words, but as I recall, immigrant Islamists have been causing a lot of trouble for the locals for some time now.
So, the “M” word did not occur, I gather.
Well, our top ten world problems are:
Muslims, Muslims, Muslims, Muslims, Muslims, Muslims, Muslims, Muslims, Muslims, and liberals.
Find them, and to quote the Daleks, “exterminate, exterminate”.
“Tragically, there are people in our community ready to engage in politically motivated violence.”
Yes, they’re called “muslims” you fricking idiot.
L
Really?
Sounds more like a Known Wolf Jihadi terrorist action.
It was a siege in common media parlance, and that’s how it is being referred to. It wasn’t just a siege, but I don’t think the term is wrong.
Maybe on the part of the popos, but DEFINITELY NOT on the part of the Jihadi.
Correct - it’s referred to as a siege because the police contain the events. That is what happened. The word is correct. And even if it was originally incorrect, it’s been used that way in English for at least 100 years (see the Sidney Street Siege of 1911).
The statement should have faced reality in today’s world and Australia should acknowledge self defense against these violent Muslims and other common street thugs and murderers by allowing concealed carry by non jihadi law abiding Aussies to stop those who would kill the common man.
This lowlife should never have been out on the streets given his extensive criminal record. I heard just once today, on TV, that his freedom was primarily due to some high ranking Liberal Aussie politician. Did anyone hear that and just who that person was?
I haven't looked at his record in detail, but my impression is that he wasn't in prison because he hasn't yet been found guilty of an offence serious enough to lead to prison. He was on bail pending trial for some extremely serious offences, but like everyone else, he's entitled to the presumption of innocence in law - and on the most serious charge (that of murder) the case was regarded as quite weak.
How’s that disarming the public working out for you?
I have one of these:
and one of these:
I find constant claims by Americans that Australians are disarmed rather puzzling.
Those were powerful words. Islam is EVIL and needs to be eradicated
Clearly the fault of the Aussie Gov’t PCness.
The author wants to write as much as possible to avoid using the word “Muslim”
Same thing happened up here recently when two Canadian soldiers were murdered by you-know-who. The media initially only talked about "extremists" and "radicals", but then PM Harper called them "muslim terrorists" and the media had to change their tune.
Do they now have concealed carry in Australia? News to me. If only one of the hostages had a gun and used it on the perp, perhaps the perp would not have used a shotgun to kill two people and wound others. He would have died fast and the cops would not have been involved, except for clean-up.
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