Galery

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The girlfriend of Man Haron Monis, aged 50, who held 17 hostages in a cafe in the heart of Sydney on Monday, is an Australian of Greek origin, as reported by the Greek media.

She is Amirah Drudis, aged 35, whose name prior to accepting Islam was Anastasia Drudis.

According to the publication, she has not only become a Muslim, but has also begun to define herself as a terrorist. In a video posted on the social video network YouTube on 19 January 2009, Drudis declares herself against women, rape victims, saying that they themselves are to blame for this. She expresses her satisfaction with the Holocaust and the attack on the Twin Towers (WTC) in New York on 11 September 2011 and accuses the Western media of conducting propaganda against the "soldiers of Allah".

The title of the video is "Sister Amirah confessed she was a terrorist! Australian Born with Greek Background (sic) Converted to Islam". It was uploaded from the website sheikhharon.com and deleted immediately after the attack in Sydney.

In addition, Drudis was indicted for the murder of Man Haron Monis’ wife, Noli Hayson Pal, aged 30, from the Fiji Islands, who was first wounded with a knife and then burned. Drudis and Monis were released from custody on bail.

The self-proclaimed religious servant has been married three times and has four biological children and one adopted child.

He had abandoned his first wife and their two children, having escaped from Iran as an "opponent of the regime." Yesterday it became clear that, 14 years earlier, the Iranian authorities had submitted a request for the extradition of Monis but the Australian had rejected it. They recognized him as a political refugee and granted asylum to him, arguing that his return to Iran would put his life at risk.

After the dramatic developments of the siege that took the lives of Monis and two hostages, the Australian authorities are investigating why he is not on the list of persons under investigation for terrorist activities.

A parallel investigation is underway to establish how the Iranian had been released on bail despite his extensive criminal record and how he had been able to obtain weapons.

After the operation in the cafe in the centre of Sydney, the Australian police searched the house where Monis and Drudis lived and seized various items and computers.
 
Amirah Drudis has so far refused to comment on the events of Monday.