Australia is a gun free zone...........
Terror in Sydney as gunman takes at least 13 hostages at Lindt cafe, forces crying women to hold black Islamic flag against the window and 'demands to speak to Tony Abbott'
Published: 18:06 EST, 14 December 2014 | Updated: 20:00 EST, 14 December 2014
Terror in Sydney as gunman takes at least 13 hostages at Lindt cafe, forces crying women to hold black Islamic flag against the window and 'demands to speak to Tony Abbott'
- Armed men walked into the Lindt café in Sydney's Martin Place at 9.45am
- Up to 20 people including staff and customers are being held hostage
- A black shahada flag is being held up in the window
- Reports that hostage-taker has a shotgun and possibly an explosive device
- Heavily armed police have sealed off area around the café
- Martin Place station is currently closed and buses have been diverted
- The Opera House has been evacuated after reports of a 'suspicious device'
- Siege comes just hours after suspect, 25, was arrested in terror raids
Published: 18:06 EST, 14 December 2014 | Updated: 20:00 EST, 14 December 2014
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Terrorists are today holding up to 13 hostages in an armed siege in a cafe in Sydney where a black Islamic flag was being held up in a window.
Witnesses reported seeing staff and customers sobbing as they were forced to stand with their hands pressed against the windows of the Lindt cafe, in Martin Place.
There are unconfirmed reports that one of the hostage-takers has made contact with police 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.
Up to two gunmen are involved in the siege but dozens of armed police have sealed off the streets surrounding the site. One gunman is believed to have a shotgun and possibly an explosive device.
The incident began just hours after a 25-year-old suspect was arrested in a terror raid in Sydney.
Officials have also evacuated the Opera House after reports of a suspicious device.
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Terrorists were today holding hostages in an armed siege in a cafe in Sydney where an extremist flag was held up in the window
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A man believed to be one of the gunman was filmed wearing a black headband inside the cafe
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Terrified customers and employees were among those standing with their hands against the window at the Lindt cafe in Sydney
Martin Place has been shut down and scores of police are surrounding the building after the alarm was raised about 9.45am.
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.
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One gunman is believed to have a shotgun and possibly an explosive device
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Martin Place has been shut down and scores of police are surrounding the building after the alarm was raised about 9.45am
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Hostages: People could be seen with their hands pressed against the window of the Lindt cafe in Sydney
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.
A staff member at the Reserve Bank told Daily Mail Australia they were unable to be evacuated because Martin Place had been closed. Staff have been told to move away from the windows.
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.
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Martin Place has been shut down and scores of police are surrounding the building after the alarm was raised about 9.45am
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It is unclear how many people are involved in the siege in a Lindt cafe in Martin Place but people could be seen with their hands pressed against the windows
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NSW Police are telling people to stay away from the area as the train station in Martin place has been closed
Rodrigo Neryt was arriving at Channel Seven for his first day of work experience when he heard screaming out the front of the café.
'I was at the corner when everything started. I saw people yelling and screaming and two police cars arriving at the scene. I saw what looked like a black ISIS flag and they were holding it up'
John Edwards works across the road from the cafe on the ninth floor of 53 Martin Place.
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He said every floor of the building had been cleared about 11.15am.
'We were evacuated out of the building from the basement,' Mr Edwards told Daily Mail Australia.
'All we were told by security was to get out.'
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Armed NSW police officers surrounded the busy cafe following reports of armed gunmen inside
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At least two gunmen are involved in the siege but dozens of armed police have sealed off the streets surrounding the site
NSW Premier Mike Baird said via Twitter that he had spoken to Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione and had full confidence police were working effectively to resolve the situation.
'My thoughts and prayers are with those affected by the situation in Martin Place and NSW Police who are trained to deal with these events,' he tweeted.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott said he had offered Mr Baird all possible Commonwealth support and assistance.
'The National Security Committee of Cabinet has also convened for briefings on the situation,' he said in a statement.
'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.'
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People evacuated from offices in Martin Place have been told to congregate in Hyde Park
Martin Place is one of Sydney's busiest streets and is at the centre of the CBD
It was alleged that Omarjan Azari, the 22-year-old Sydney man arrested on terrorism charges in September, was planning a public beheading in Martin Place.
The alleged terror plot, mentioned in a conversation between Australian terrorism recruiter in Syria, Mohammad Ali Barylei and Azari, involved selecting a member of the public at random, beheading them and then covering their body in a flag.
The whole incident was going to be filmed, and then used as propaganda for the ISIS cause.
Federal prosecutors said the alleged terror plot was 'clearly designed to shock, horror and terrify the community'
Police Prosecutor Michael Allnutt said that Azari had made a threat which involved a 'random selection of persons to execute' during a telephone conversation with Baryalei.
Azari was arrested on September 18 and charged with preparing for an act of terrorism.
He is due in court this week for a bail application.
The flag being held up in the window of the cafe is believed to be a Shahada flag, which is used by the group, Jabhat al Nusra.
Jabhat al Nusra was formed in January 2012, in the Syrian civil war to fight the Syrian government forces.
Jabhat al Nusra, or JN, aims to overthrow the Assad regime and replace it with a Sunni Islamic state.
Although the group is affiliated with al-Qaeda, Jabhat al-Nusra does not emphasize Western targets or global jihad, focusing instead on the 'near enemy' of the Syrian state.
Martin Place is one of Sydney's busiest streets and is at the centre of the CBD. The Lindt cafe where the hostages are being held specialises in chocolate and has a number of branches across the city.
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The flag being held up in the window of the cafe is believed to be a Shahada flag, which is used by the group, Jabhat al Nusra
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The Lindt cafe where the hostages are being held specialises in chocolate and has a number of branches across the city
Sydney Opera House evacuated after hostage siege in the CBD
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2873855/Gunman-takes-hostages-cafe-Sydney.html#ixzz3LvOv5S00
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