Hostages Held In Sydney

[Call me bubba]

:Latest news from Sydney;

 

 

 

Dozens of people are being held hostage by terrorists who stormed into a central Sydney cafe with a gun and forced crying women to hold a black Islamic flag up to the window.

Witnesses described how a man wearing a headband covered in Arabic walked into the Lindt cafe in Martin Place and produced a shotgun from a blue bag at around 9.45am.

Shortly afterwards hostages were seen with their hands pressed against the windows holding up the Shahada flag belonging to the extremist group Jabhat al-Nusra, which is fighting the Assad government in Syria. 

There are claims that the terrorists are also armed with a machete and may have explosives but this has not been confirmed by police. 

One of the hostage-takers has made contact with officers saying that he has 'devices all over the city' and 'wants to speak with the prime minister live on radio', according to Ray Hadley, from 2GB.

Armed police have sealed off streets around the cafe and Martin Place station is shut. Planes have been diverted away from the city centre. 

Police have handcuffed a man 200m from the cafe with reports an officer has hit foot on what appears to be a small black handgun. 

The incident began just hours after a 25-year-old suspect was arrested in a terror raid in Sydney.

Lindt Australia CEO Steve Loane estimates there are up to 50 people being held. 

Officials have also evacuated the Opera House after reports of a suspicious device.  

 

 

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Dozens of people are being held hostage by terrorists who stormed into a central Sydney cafe with a gun and forced crying women to hold a black Islamic flag up to the window

 

 

A man believed to be one of the hostage-takers was filmed wearing a black headband covered in Arabic inside the cafe

 

 

Terrified customers and employees were among those standing with their hands against the window at the Lindt cafe in Sydney

 

 

One blonde-haired hostage was pictured inside the cafe through the glass doors standing in the middle of the shop

Prime Minister Tony Abbott described the incident as 'deeply concerning'.

'This is obviously a deeply concerning incident but all Australians should be reassured that our law enforcement and security agencies are well trained and equipped and are responding in a thorough and professional manner,' he said in a statement. 

Witnesses have described the chaotic scenes in Martin Place as the area was shut down and scores of police surrounded the building.  

Journalist Chris Kenny, who was in the shop about 20 minutes before the siege began, said he understood the automatic glass sliding doors had been disabled.

'I did speak to a couple of people who saw a bit more of this unfold than I did,' he said.

'One woman said she tried to go into the shop just after I came out with my takeaway coffee but the doors wouldn't open.

'So obviously whoever is doing this has disabled the automatic glass sliding doors to stop anyone else going in and she said immediately she could see there was a weapon. 

'The woman was quite frantic but very clear what she was telling (the police).

'I know the faces of the people who are sitting there enjoying a morning coffee.' 

 

 

 

 

 

Scores of police have surrounded the cafe in Martin Place amid claims the terrorists are also armed with a machete and may have explosives

 

 

 

 

 

 

Emergency services have shut down the area surrounding Martin Place as they continue the operation 

The Seven Network newsroom, which is in a building opposite the cafe, has been evacuated and other buildings in Martin Place, including the nearby Westpac building, have been cleared.

'We're just recommending no one go near Martin Place at the moment,' a NSW Police spokeswoman said. 

Martin Place train station has been closed and Qantas announced it had diverted all flights around Sydney's CBD.

Another woman who works in the government building opposite the cafe tried to call her her office to say she couldn't get past cordons and all the phone lines were down. 

Patients from the nearby Sydney Hospital patients are also being evacuated. 

 

 

Police have shut down Martin Place train station and office buildings in the area have been evacuated

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2873855/Gunman-takes-hostages-k

 

 another local article

 

A number of hostages have been taken in a siege underway in Sydney's CBD.

At least three people have been seen through the windows of a cafe in Martin Place with their hands raised.

 

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-12-15/hostages-sydney-cafe-martin-place-police-operation/5967232

Edited December 15, 2014 by Pittman apartments Sgn

[scott h]

And so it begins, no more planes into buildings,,,just small isolated attacks to terrorize the normal man.

[Jollygoodfellow]

Hope they shoot the hostage taker dead to show others that it wont be tolerated in Australia.  :unsure:

[OnMyWay]

Hope they shoot the hostage taker dead to show others that it wont be tolerated in Australia.  :unsure:

 

It looks like a tough situation to crack.  If the police can't get him, I hope there a couple hostages with training on the inside, waiting for their moment.

[Americano]

Breaking News:  The police finally stormed the cafe and shot the terrorist dead.  One hostage was also killed and a few are injured.

Edited December 15, 2014 by Americano

[Jollygoodfellow]

Breaking News:  The police finally stormed the cafe and shot the terrorist dead.  One hostage was also killed and a few are injured.

 

Actually two hostages killed. It appears they were caught in the line of fire from police. Although this is not confirmed. Some are saying the cafe manager who tackled the asshole was shot by him or the gun went off in the struggle. Some say the cafe manager (now deceased) is a hero but who knows how things would have ended if he did not try to take the gun.   :unsure:

[Jack Peterson]

Some say the cafe manager (now deceased) is a hero but who knows how things would have ended if he did not try to take the gun.

 

Some say the cafe manager (now deceased) is a hero but who knows how things would have ended if he did not try to take the gun.

 

I tend to agree with you here JGF but......... I wonder how many of us would have done the same thing if the chance arose?

 

:unsure:

 

   My goodness these double entries can get so depressing.  :rolleyes:

Some say the cafe manager (now deceased) is a hero but who knows how things would have ended if he did not try to take the gun.

Edited December 17, 2014 by Jack Peterson

[Gerald Glatt]

Actually two hostages killed. It appears they were caught in the line of fire from police. Although this is not confirmed. Some are saying the cafe manager who tackled the a**h*le was shot by him or the gun went off in the struggle. Some say the cafe manager (now deceased) is a hero but who knows how things would have ended if he did not try to take the gun

 

 

Those who say no one will know if the clerk is a hero are correct,  But he did something to try to help. Right or wrong, more could have been killed or not if he had not acted.  Make no mistake this is a brave man,  he deserves much more then a news story and a that a boy.  If the Aussie's take care of their own great, if not then a campaign should be started to raise $$$ for his surviving family.  Reward them for creating a person who cared more for others than himself.   :cheersty: 

[OnMyWay]

I wonder how many of us would have done the same thing if the chance arose?

 

Talk is cheap, but if I am ever involved with islamic terrorists, I am going to assume I will be dead anyway.

[lonewolf]

I believe the secret to surviving a situation like that is think of as many scenarios as possible and plan how you would react. I was told one time in training, if you have a plan you are more likely to react , if you have plan you more likely won t react. I also figure im dead in a situation like that.