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Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the Melbourne hostage attack on Monday that was carried out by a Somalian-born refugee who had previously faced court over terror charges.
Yacqub Khayre murdered one man, wounded three police officers and took a woman hostage in a dramatic two-hour siege in a hotel on Bay Street, Brighton.
IS blamed the attack on Australia's membership in the US-led coalition against the militant group.
'The attack in Melbourne, Australia was carried out by a soldier of the Islamic State in response to the call for targeting the subjects of the coalition states,' the group's Amaq news agency said.
Khayre, 29, was killed by police in an exchange of 'severe gunfire' shortly before 6pm, ending the hostage situation inside 'The Buckingham' serviced apartments.
It has been revealed that Khayre was previously charged, and acquitted, with planning a suicide attack against Sydney's Holsworthy army barracks in 2009, the Herald Sun reports.
But despite being well known to counter terrorism police, he was deemed a low-risk of offending and released on parole - before committing the attack: 'For IS and for al-Qaeda'.