Update: Monday 11:00 am
CNN – Gunfire erupted early Tuesday as police stormed the Sydney cafe where a gunman had been holding hostages.
The crisis appeared to be over, Australian state broadcaster ABC reported.
ABC reported that two people were dead and three were in serious condition.
Seven people had been taken out of the Sydney cafe on stretchers, and five of them appeared to be receiving treatment immediately, the broadcaster reported.
The fate of the gunman, identified by an official with direct knowledge of the situation as Man Haron Monis, was unknown. It was also unknown if any police were injured.
Hundreds of police officers, including snipers, had surrounded the Lindt Chocolate Cafe in Sydney’s central business district shortly after the gunman took over the building at 10 a.m. Monday (6 p.m. ET on Sunday).
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Update: Monday, 5:00 am
Sydney (CNN) — A gunman holding hostages in a Sydney cafe is said to be demanding an ISIS flag and a phone call with Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott.
The reported demands emerged after five hostages managed to flee the building, leaving an unconfirmed number of people still trapped inside during a dramatic standoff that has now lasted more than 10 hours.
The gunman’s requests were made through hostages who contacted several media organizations, CNN affiliate Sky News Australia reported. Police said they were aware of the reports but declined to confirm what demands had been made.
After hours of tension and uncertainty, three people were seen sprinting out of the cafe and into a group of police officers.
Later, two women dashed out of the cafe and along the street to the waiting police.
“Those people are now being assessed to ensure that their health is OK and then police will also speak to them,” said New South Wales Police Deputy Commissioner Catherine Burn. She said police negotiators are in touch with the hostage taker.
Update: 11:59 pm
Sydney – Hostages were shown running out of a Sydney cafe at the center of a siege on Monday, according to Channel 7 live news footage.
The footage showed a small number of people leaving the Lindt cafe, including one wearing a Lindt apron, as armed police moved closer to the door.
An armed assailant was holding an unknown number of hostages inside the cafe, police said, with local television showing some being forced to hold up a black flag with white Arabic writing in the window.
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Sydney – Hostages were being held inside a central Sydney cafe where a black flag with white Arabic writing could be seen in the window, local television showed on Monday, raising fears of an attack linked to Islamic militants.
Australia, which is backing the United States and its escalating action against Islamic State in Syria and Iraq, is on high alert for attacks by radicalized Muslims or by home-grown fighters returning from fighting in the Middle East.
Part of Martin Place, home to the Reserve Bank of Australia, commercial banks and close to the New South Wales (NSW) state parliament, was closed off by armed police.
Live television footage showed patrons inside a cafe standing with their hands pressed against the windows. A black and white flag similar to those used by Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria was also visible.
NSW Police tweeted: “A police operation is underway in Martin Place, Sydney’s CBD. People are advised to avoid the area.”
Dozens of police including a SWAT team were setting up and a couple of hundred people were being held back by cordons.
Trains and buses were stopped and roads were blocked in the area, with train operators saying there had been a bomb threat at Martin Place.
Martin Place is the business and banking centre of Sydney.
The Reserve Bank of Australia is on Martin Place, while the state Parliament House sits up the top of the Martin Place on Macquarie Street. Government ministers have their offices in nearby in Governor Macquarie Tower – buildings which they share with Sydney’s top law firms.
At night Martin Place bars are full of bankers, lawyers, politicians, their advisers and the media. Likewise – during the day – coffee shops such as Lindt are popular meeting spots. – from Brigid Delaney
do you think they can just barge in hill kill hostages
If the “gunman”would be a tea party member the news would state clearly a right wing tea party member etc Why pray tel don’t they say a Muslim fanatical terrorist?!
2 dead plus gunman; 4 injured.
To no. 6: I don’t know who you mean who works a mile away. The Anash member I was talking about works in that very same building.
Police stormed building
Hostages freed
You obviously don’t understand how hostage situations work. The primary concern is for the safety of the hostages. If the police would just barge in, there is a very high chance that the hostage taker would harm or kill hostages. These people train for a long time to negotiate, they know what they are doing.
The Sydney local secular community responded to this scenario with increased support ( ! ) to Muslims !
Following the belief that Muslims are essentially peaceful and are not to be judged by the actions of terrorists, there is a new trend to be supportive of Muslims and to request the full expression of their religion and to embrace it into western culture.
The police of Sydney are busy negotiating with this terrorist!
S-T-U-P-I-D stupid
There is no common ground btwn healthy and safe sydny people and unhealthy unsafe gunman terrorist … So why they can’t just barge in and remove his existence … baffles me.
Gad Elbaz and his father were in that very café 15 minutes before the guman came in. he announced his near miss at his concert in Australai tonight.
Imagine if he was there. The whole world would have said it was about Israel.
now that they aren’t only attacking the jews… maybe there set of the world will WAKE UP
Hey its still going on… All the Jewish school are in locklockdown. The hostages are still in the cafe. 🙁
Dear World: THIS IS THE PRICE YOU PAY FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THE ARABS AND YOUR ANTI-SEMITISM. May G-d send Moshiach NOW so these savages will get their due!
very good foresight for Kosher Australia not giving hasgacha to Lindt – this surely stopped yidden form being held hostage.
Stop making up stories!!! His office is almost a mile away from there.
May all Yidden and good people everywhere be safe.
And may the klipah of Islam cease to be immediately
once again the religion of peace is showing the world just how peaceful it is….IYH everyone will be safe
were any of the people taken hostage jewish?
What are we doing here to protect our self we unfortunately had a warning sign last week in 770 where is the private armed security hashem yishmor
One of Anash (who askes his name not be published) usually gets off Subway at that Martin Place Station at that same time. Today he had pains in foot and knee, and his wife drove him into town, just missing the action. B”H he is safe, in his office.