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Sydney Hostage Standoff Update: 5 Escape, Gunman Identified; Demands Islamic State Flag, Conversation With Prime Minister
The Sydney hostage standoff at the Lindt chocolate store on Martin Place continues well into its 13th hour, where the latest news is that five people have escaped with others still held inside as neighboring blocks remain locked down, authorities said ABC reports. The first three people who fled sprinted out of the Lindt Chocolat Cafe about six hours into the standoff, while two women wearing aprons frantically ran from a side exit and into the arms of heavily-armed SWAT team police officers waiting outside. At the same time, media personalities said they received calls from hostages during the standoff. It remains unclear exactly how many people remain inside the cafe.
Additionally, according to Reuters, Australian police said on Monday they are monitoring alleged demands made on social media by hostages being held in a siege at a Sydney cafe and the "situation is contained in one area".
More ABC US news | ABC World News
Network 10 reported that two female hostages had called with claims from the gunman that two bombs were planted elsewhere in the city.
Three men and two women, who sprinted from the Lindt Chocolate Cafe, told the media that the man had warned them that two bombs were set to explode in the cafe, and other bombs were planted at two locations in the city.
Social media posts by alleged hostages claimed the gunman wanted to speak directly with Prime Minister Tony Abbott.
"That is forming a part of our tactical response in how to handle this," Deputy Police Commissioner Catherine Burn said of the reports, declining to comment on any demands from the hostage-taker. She said people should go about their business as normal in Sydney.
Elsewhere, Xinhua reports that the hostage-taker gunman has been identified after five hostages managed to flee the hours-long siege. The Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC) reported that the man was known to police, but it has been told not to reveal his name.
The armed man also demanded the delivery of an Islamic State (IS) flag and a conversation with Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott.
The escapees told Channel 10 TV that the man forced his captives to call him "brother" and would release a hostage if the flag was delivered. That should put the heated discussion about just what flag is being shown in the window, to rest. It would appear that the gunman is at least superficially an ISIS sympathzier, who just couldn't get his hands on the right flag in advance.
The siege began at 9:40 a.m. local time (2240 GMT), and has involved hundreds of armed police who surrounded the cafe located at the Martin Place in Sydney's central business district.
More:
The government convened a meeting of the National Security Committee this morning. It has been warning for months that a terror attack could happen in Australia.
"We don't know whether this is politically motivated, although obviously there are some indications that it could be," Prime Minister Abbott said in the capital of Canberra.
After the anti-terror raids in September, he said all that was required for a domestic IS-ordered terror attack was a "knife, iPhone and a victim."
New South Wales police commissioner Andrew Scipione told reporters that the police were doing all they could to resolve the situation peacefully.
"The officers there are well trained. They know what they are doing," he said, adding that there were tight controls around the location, and the police had not made contact with the gunman.
Scipione said the police still did not know the his motivation and were working to determine where he was from.
Perhaps the best summary of current, very fluid events, comes from the latest headline from Reuters: Sydney gripped by fear.
Finally, in what is said to be an unrelated incident, four gunmen took a man hostage in an apartment in the Belgian city of Ghent on Monday, officials said, adding there was no initial evidence linking the assault to a jihadist organization. Belgian police cordoned off part of the city after the four men were seen entering the building in the Dampoort district, where they took a hostage. "For the time being we have no indication that there is a link to terrorism," a spokeswoman for state prosecutors said.
According to more recent reports, the Belgian hostage situation appears to have just ended.
Hostage situation at Dampoort #Ghent officialy over, as confirmed by prosecutor's office.
— Bert Staes (@bertstaes) December 15, 2014
As for the Syndey standoff, follow the development with the following live feed.
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Why you should attack the guy that is paying and supporting you ?
Why you should attack the guy that is paying and supporting you ?...
Didn't Aesop explain the why in his story of the frog and scorpion? One characteristic of water is that of wetness.
The US will continue to follow orders emanating from the ME, period. Evidently it’s in our DNA.
Pathetic. Imo.
By the way, does the “ABC” in the identification tag at the bottom of ZH’ home page, (Copyright ©2009-2014 ZeroHedge.com/ABC Media, LTD) refer to the Disney company or “The Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC)” as noted in the report?
Perhaps Bloomberg should consider buying fight club and selling both bull / bear 3X ETF shares on it. Oh wait…
Get his home address and post it up.
You'll see some action by some terrorists real quick.
They'll be well equipped and ready to go.
Was OBL a neocon?
These barbarians only respect one thing: power. If the Aussies go in that Cafe and kill every mussie you will not see this in Australia again. You relent now and these savages will keep coming until the people do what they should have done at the beginning. Don't let them give themselves up, eliminate them.
Have they decided to make this an official case of terrorism yet, or is the official state-controlled media just calling this individual a disgruntled person?
They're keeping their options open.
Merely just another case of Tourist ViolenceTM.
Disgruntled Imam Syndrome.
Accessory to murder charge against girlfriend dropped and an earlier sexual assault charge.
Other than that, he's a good holy man.
Earlier this year President Obongo said that he wanted the US to have "Australian style gun laws" sure does work out there doesn't it? Of course Obongo is just a puppet and he mouths what the puppeteers write for him.
I think it behooves each and every single one of us, AND OUR FAMILIES, to join the NRA.
http://www.nrahq.org/
Because the Bolsheviks are prepared to do their WORST and believe me, that is TOO TERRIBLE to contemplate.
Okay, this 'hands up' meme has jumped the shark.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/12/15/240F39B200000578-2873855-image...
At one stage, they had that girl on constant rotation on the Telescreen. Fcuk MSM, if you've got nothing to say then say nothing. It's a hell of a lot better than dribbling shit and showing the same footage all day.
Oh yeah, MSM has already given us the "Don't believe what you see on the internet" speech, so it would be a good idea to pay close attention to the internet.
Dribbling shit is their payday.
Advertisers don't pay for blank screens.
You got me there, almost. They could have returned to their regular programming, with updates every half hour / hour.
"Yep. Everyone is still in there. Nothing's changed. See you in thirty."
So what kind of weapons do these guys have? Did the US gov accidentally drop them weapons shipments over there too? Haven't seen that in the ME and Mexico before.... repeatedly.
I think I saw a muslim at college. It had a towel on its head.
SYDNEY kidnapper identified
Man Haron Monis
latstest
http://tersee.com/#!q=sydney&t=text
#illridewithyou
Some of my best friends are musl... Ah, who the fuck am I kidding?
Isn't the phrase "known to law enforcement" outdated since the NSA keeps track of everyone?
Talmudists and islamists are a scourge when your "religions" main thereom is to murder everyone but it's adherents it is nt a "religion" it is a rotting vile festering CULT
Keep drinkin that cool-aid "religion of peace my ass" Cults of genocide ...just remember the bastards aren't on your side.
whether you like the idea or not and don't give me that fucking tired speech of "we're all humans and have rights" these parasites (talmudists torah thumping and islamists) need be irradicated. You think they're gonna change?? keep dreaming both these cults want you off this little blue ball thier leather bound little books tell them so. read them study them read their histories but most of all watch their actions. The cia/moosad assholes no all to well these "people" why do you think they're funding these death loving morons.
Try getting 1000 buddahists to strap on bombs and blow them selves up try to get 1000 atheists or a 1000 christians etc etc
the islamists are a tool for the talmudists and when they're done with them it's the goy next ... Thats you White man !!!
they already own you mentally and financially alls left is the genocide...multicultural multiracial extinction of the species...all becoming "grey people" with their talmudist overlords.
If you are a "white" / "caucasian" and downvoted me all I can say is this you are sad , braindead / insane and prideless.
...Common sense and survival of ones heritage and culture are at the fore front of the sane mans mind, all else is slavery.