Hostage Siege Martin Place Sydney Australia

An armed man is holding 12 dozens of people hostage at the Lindt Chocolate Cafe. Hostages are being forced to hold a Jihadist flag up in the window of the shop.

Offices are closed, air traffic is being diverted.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/martin-place-siege-hostages-taken-in-lindt-chocolate-shop-by-armed-robber/story-fnii5s3y-1227156245751?nk=a3c0e95905bf44c683170c6f65475aab

 

My friend was telling me about this just now. I believe that some of the hostages were being released.

 

That's good, Irmi!

 

I haven't heard of any hostages being released yet. Apparently some Australian extremists are being arrested for wanting to storm the place.

I there isn't any bloodshed.

 

True, woops. The article I read earlier showed people being escorted away by police and said in the process of being released. =\

 

So...How long have they been in there? There's just one gunman? What's the plan I wonder.

 

They've been in there pretty much all mornin' - this 'arvo now.
There was something to do with that chocolate brand there in the window. They don't support halal food, so it wasn't a random a venue attack. News chick says there were reports one was going to get stormed earlier in the morning and arrests made.

 

the plan is probably beheading hostages one at a time or just blowing the whole place up.

 

Nah nothing like that ever happens here. More likely it'll end peacefully and the terrorist dude will be on the streets shortly after.
I'd be very surprised... and proud... if our boys used force.

 

Oh. I wondered what Lindt had done to be picked.

 

Sydney siege: people seen running out of Martin Place cafe – live

http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2014/dec/15/sydney-siege-reports-of-hostage-situation-inside-martin-place-cafe-live

 

well thats good news...hopefully its just some idiot having an episode and just wanting attention instead of carnage.

 

5 people have been released or escaped now.

 

Our morning news had film of people escaping but did not say anything about anyone being released.

 

Police know the gunman's identity and are familiar with him.

He has posted 3 youtubes with his demands but they've been taken down.

http://www.thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/davidbadash/watch_hostage_escapes_from_armed_siege_in_sydney_cafe


This report says:

Armed offender, now identified as a self-styled cleric, accused of being an accessory to the murder of his former wife and once notorious for sending poison letters to the family of deceased Diggers.

Code:

Police and media have named the gunman thought responsible for the Sydney siege as an unstable self-styled Iranian cleric who once sent poison letters to the family of Diggers who died in Afghanistan and has been charged over the murder of his wife.

Man Haron Monis, 49, a self-proclaimed sheik, became infamous after sending offensive letters to the grieving families of seven Australian soldiers killed in Afghanistan between 2007 and 2009.

Last year he was accused of assisting in the brutal killing of his ex-wife but was granted bail along with his current partner, who is accused of her murder.

Monis was charged with being an accessory before and after the fact to the murder of mother-of-two Noleen Hayson Pal.

His current partner, Amirah Droudis, 34, has been charged with the murder after 30-year-old Ms Pal was stabbed multiple times and set alight in a western Sydney unit block.

Recently he was charged with more than 50 counts of indecent and sexual assault from when he was a self-proclaimed "spiritual healer" in Sydney ten years ago.

He was born in Iran but came to Australia in 1996 and has been living in Sydney since. 

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11374445

 

the popo have stormed the cafe

 

That's what I was just trying to read about, Rolling.

Here it is.

Television footage initially showed a man running from the eatery with his arms raised, shortly after 2am, before being patted down by police and escorted to safety.

Minutes later, two more men and two women raced outside and were directed away by police.

Their escape was followed by 10 seconds of rapid gunfire as heavily-armed police stormed the cafe in numbers, managing to release others.

A woman, apparently middle-aged, was carried from the scene injured.

A second volley of shots erupted before the cafe filled with police and paramedics.

A number of stretchers were wheeled into the building, however, it was unclear how many people may have been injured.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/martin-place-siege-sydney-cbd-cafe-workers-held-up/story-e6frg6nf-1227156254036?nk=a3c0e95905bf44c683170c6f65475aab

 

i watched it live......sorry for the spoiler

 

There's a video here

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-12-16/sydney-siege-martin-place-hostages-gunman/5969162