By CAMERON LUCADOU-WELLS
THE police officer who shot dead Numan Haider has told a coronial inquest that the Australian Secret Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) withheld vital intelligence beforehand.
The Victoria Police detective, who cannot be identified, had agreed to meet Haider outside Endeavour Hills police station after the teen terror suspect called him back earlier that evening of 23 September 2014.
In one of four calls that evening played to the Coroner’s Court on Friday 18 March, background whispering is heard from Haider’s end.
Officer A told Coroner John Olle that the whispering was concerning.
He was not comfortable with meeting at Haider’s first choice, Hungry Jacks in Hallam, in case of an ambush, he said.
Prior to Officer A picking up the call, Haider is heard talking about something in his pocket and that “I don’t trust them”.
This was something the officer couldn’t hear at the time of the call.
Haider called again, suggesting a meeting outside the police station in 15 minutes.
Rachel Ellyard, the counsel assisting the Coroner, asked the officer in court why he agreed to the meeting “very speedily”.
“I was very happy that Numan was coming down to the station to meet me and talk to investigators,” Officer A told the court.
Police planned to wait outside for Haider. After searching Haider for weapons, Officer A was to then persuade the 18-year-old to come into the station to talk.
However Haider called 10 minutes earlier than anticipated.
Officers A and B approached Haider who was sitting on a car bonnet in shadows about 20 metres from the entrance to the police station.
Officer A told the court there were no pre-attack warning signs from Haider, though he was concerned that Haider had his hand in his jacket pocket.
He thought Haider was complying with a pat-down search when the teen turned away.
Haider quickly turned around, Officer A said.
The officer didn’t see a knife until it was entering his forearm. He blocked Haider’s second stabbing motion and backed away.
Haider then attacked Officer B who had been looking in the car’s window.
Officer A said he was too far away to use a baton or OC spray to save his colleague, who was stabbed to the head.
In any case he said OC wouldn’t have affected Haider fast enough to avert Officer B’s murder.
Haider stood “to the side and above” Officer B, who was lying on his back, when Officer A fired the fatal shot.
“There was not any opportunity at all to disarm (Haider).
“Officer B was probably seconds away from being killed.”
Prior to the meeting, Officer A was aware Haider had recently been sourcing knives, an iPhone, taser and a balaclava.
However he said ASIO officers did not pass on “significant” information they had about Haider such as Haider’s Facebook profile photo of himself in camouflage clothing, a balaclava and holding a Shahada flag just five days before the attack.
He also said that ASIO was aware of Haider’s Facebook comments describing police as “dogs” because of their raids on 18 September 2014.
Officer A said he would have changed his risk assessment of Haider had that information been passed on.
He may well have cancelled his approach to the teen, he told the court.
“The warning signs weren’t missed by the joint counter-terrorism team (which included himself and several federal agents).
“There had been obviously significant intelligence we weren’t made aware of.”
The hearing continues.
