NSW police say they have no records of Martin Place siege gunman Man Haron Monis ever holding a gun licence.

This is despite the Prime Minister Tony Abbott asserting in a press conference earlier that Monis, killed by police in a gun battle after a 16-hour siege, had been allowed to legally own weapons.

Man Haron Monis was killed during the siege. Credit:Nick Ralston

"The NSW Police Force has conducted checks with the NSW Firearms Registry and can confirm there is no record of the 50-year-old man having held a firearms licence," a statement issued this evening said.

Mr Abbott's office later issued a statement saying the Prime Minister had been told during national security briefings by "Commonwealth security officials" that Monis had been a recorded firearms licence holder in NSW.