Aussie leader: Siege gunman dropped off watch list
Australia's prime minister says a gunman responsible for a deadly siege in a Sydney cafe was once on the national security agency's watch list -- but was dropped off it years ago.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott said on Wednesday that gunman Man Haron Monis was on the Australian Security Intelligence Organization's watch list in 2008 and 2009 but dropped off for reasons unknown.
Abbott says the agency was watching Monis because he had sent a series of offensive letters to the families of dead Australian soldiers.
Abbott says Monis also had a gun license despite a long criminal history.
