Members of a US Fijian family, with links to Noleen Hayson Pal, the slain ex-wife of the Sydney Siege gunman, say “he should rot and burn in hell.”

The gunman, Haron Monis, was shot dead in the early hours of yesterday morning in the Lindt Chocolat Café in Martin Place, downtown Sydney.

He took 20 people as hostages of whom two died as shots rang out and police stormed in.

Former Fiji resident and godfather of Ms Pal, Ayyut Khalik told NBC News that Monis should have been behind bars long ago.

Mr Khalik’s Facebook Page says he was from Suva, and is currently residing in California.

Last year Monis was arrested for allegedly being an accessory to the killing of his ex-wife Ms Pal. She was repeatedly stabbed and set alight. He was later released on bail.

At the time, Monis and Ms Pal were involved in a bitter custody battle over their two young sons.

“They should have put him away and thrown away the key,” Mr Khalik said.

A distraught Mr Khalik said Ms Pal was like one of his own children. He had visited Ms Pal during her 16th birthday, her marriage to Monis in 2005 and attended her funeral last year.

Mr Khalik told NBC news that the first time he met Monis, he did not like him.

Ms Pal’s godmother Momina Khalik also took to Facebook to express her disgust about Monis.

She posted “y the first place they let him free on the Sydney streets they should have let him rot in the jail this f***en sick animal’.

Ms Pal’s godbrother Talat Khalik, also vented his anger on Facebook said “Thats systems tere f***d up but i’m still happy he died.”

He also posted “F*** u, burn in hell.”

Sister Faziya Khalik posted “You are free sis. He deserved more than being shot and killed. I hope he rots in hell.”

Monis also had a long history with the New South Wales police for more than 40 sexual assault charges.

Additional charges were laid against Monis two months ago, and conviction for sexual assault would have ruined Monis, who was ousted as a bogus Islamic cleric by Australian Shia scholars in 2009.

Meanwhile, Fijians living in Sydney have sent their condolences to the families of the dead victims.

Life has begun to return to normal in downtown Sydney after people were evacuated on Monday.

Flowers have been laid in memory of the two victims near the café.

Feedback: farisha.ahmed@fijisun.com.fj