Secretive Monis didn't pay debts, former flatmate tells

Sydney siege gunman Man Haron Monis was so secretive he would lock his bedroom door even if he was just walking to the bathroom, a former flatmate has told an inquest.

Amin Khademi told the inquest into the Lindt Cafe siege that when he met Monis in Sydney in 1998 Monis was introduced as Mohammed Borujerd, an Iranian cleric.

A fortnight later, Monis offered Mr Khademi, who had arrived in Australia that year from Afghanistan, a room in his flat in western Sydney.

When Mr Khademi moved in, Monis told him that he had once worked for the Iranian secret service but now had problems with them and issued strict instructions that Mr Khademi was never to have friends around.

Speaking through an interpreter, Mr Khademi said Monis kept the door to his room in the flat closed - locking it when he left the room to go to the toilet and locking it from inside when he returned.

The court heard that, in the years to follow, as Mr Khademi moved on, had a family and established a painting business, Monis repeatedly asked him for money.

Monis first asked him to send money to his mother in Iran, then asked directly for cash, saying he was in financial trouble.

Monis also asked Mr Khademi to paint a warehouse in western Sydney for him - a $4,000 job that he never paid for.

Mr Khademi said he lost $9,000 to Mr Monis.

In 2008 Mr Khademi became upset at Monis when he saw his website, SheikhHaron.com, which had a photograph of Osama Bin Laden and details of offensive letters Monis had sent to the families of dead Australian soldiers.

"I told him 'what you are doing is wrong'," Mr Khademi said.