We may never get the full information about what happened inside the Lindt cafe on the night of the Sydney siege in 2014 with a NSW court last night supporting police requests to keep all key details in police documents top secret.
Channel 7 reported that NSW Police and the Commonwealth intelligence agencies had requested the court keep all information pertaining to the night’s events confidential and deny the release to the public.
However, lawyers for the victim’s families, Tori Johnson and Katrina Dawson, made it clear the families were extremely anxious to learn what unfolded on that night and so a compromise could be likely where the victims families could view heavily redacted summary versions of the documents.
Hostages escaping in early hours of morning of the Sydney siege. Joosep Martinson/Getty Images.
However the general public will see none of them and have no opportunity to know what really occurred and whether the correct protocols and plans were followed on that night.
Channel 7 reported a police lawyer told the inquest that the documents were so highly sensitive, so top secret, that they don’t even trust the courts with them.
They have suggested a safe be brought into the court complex so the documents could be held there.
The inquest begins again in proper on March 21, 2016.
Video of the Sydney siege memorial service.
Top Comments
There were two victims, you only show the female one. Why?
Oh yeah, there are hardly any articles calling out gender inequality in jobs here. Ok, you've discounted the male victim, but he had a mother at least, could show some respect to her and still not give a toss about white men.
So you repectfully call him "the male one"?
Of course I've not discounted Tori Johnson. I don't even know why you didn't get the point; that this article is about the police deciding they're not going to provide all the evidence to the courts. The significance of Katrina Dawson in this is that she died from injuries sustained from being shot by police.
Again, 1.The police are refusing evidence to the Court.
2.Part of that evidence would reveal how Katrina Dawson received those fatal injuries.
The police don't trust the courts. And "the documents were so highly sensitive, so top secret," WT*?
Read "The documents contain evidence that embarrasses police and may cause people to distrust some tactics used".
I hope these police aren't the same types who regularly say " If you've nothing to hide, you've nothing to worry about"...