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‘Only man in Sydney siege was gunman’

New South Wales MP Fred Nile has criticised hostages in December’s Sydney siege, saying the “only man” in the Lindt Cafe was gunman Man Haron Monis.

The comments made on Channel 7’s Sunrise program on Thursday follow Mr Nile’s remarks on Tuesday that hostages who fled the siege shouldn’t be given bravery awards.

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“Usually men try to protect the women but it looks like the men were trying to protect their own skins,” Mr Nile told Sunrise.

“Where were the men?

“The only man really there was the man with the gun.”

Later he clarified the controversial comments, telling Twitter followers he had “misspoken”. He had meant to say the terrorist was a coward.

“Yes I mispoke,” he tweeted. “The real Man was the man WRESTLING with the gun.”

On Tuesday, the 80-year-old Christian Democratic Party leader said plans to give hostages bravery awards would diminish the award’s significance.

“They should get recognition for what they suffered as hostages but I don’t think they should get bravery awards,” Mr Nile told Fairfax Radio.

“Maybe they could have done something more to protect the women.

“Normally bravery awards are given for an act of bravery — that somebody actually does something. They haven’t done anything.”

Mr Nile said the only people to receive the award should be lawyer and mother-of-three Katrina Dawson, and Lindt Cafe manager Tori Johnson, who were both killed in the 16-hour siege.

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