Police have identified the man behind the on-going siege in Sydney as Man Haron Monis, a self-proclaimed cleric and former "spiritual healer" granted political asylum in Australia from Iran. Monis was recently charged with 50 counts of indecent exposure and sexual assault, and as an accessory to the murder of his ex-wife, who was stabbed and lit on fire in Sydney last year. He was also convicted of sending offensive letters to the family members of dead Australian soldiers.