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Sydney siege cafe to re-open

Xinhua, March 18, 2015 Adjust font size:

The Sydney cafe where a gunman held 18 people hostage in mid-December last year will re-open on Friday in a "discreet" public ceremony, cafe owners said on Wednesday.

The coffee and chocolate specialist Lindt Cafe was held in a 16 hour siege by Man Haron Monis who killed manager Tori Johnson before police stormed the cafe and shot Monis dead.

Lawyer Katrina Dawson was killed in cross fire when police burst in.

The local owners of the Swiss-owned Lindt in Sydney's CBD told Xinhua on Wednesday that the cafe has been refurbished with new decorations and furniture.

Two plaques commemorating the killed pair have also placed near the main doorway.

New South Wales Premier Michael Baird will speak to staff and media shortly before the cafe officially re-opens at 10:00 a.m. local time on Friday.

Meanwhile authorities have announced a two-week coronial inquest into the siege and the police handling of it will be held from May 25.

Sixty witnesses will be called.

It will be the second stage of a one-day hearing in January where it was determined Dawson was killed by a police bullet, or a fragment of one. Endi