Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Omaha Steve

(99,073 posts)
Mon Dec 15, 2014, 03:12 AM Dec 2014

5 people flee Sydney hostage-crisis building

Source: AP-Excite

By KRISTEN GELINEAU

SYDNEY (AP) — Five people have fled from a Sydney cafe where a gunman took an unknown number of hostages at the height of Monday morning rush hour. Two people inside the cafe were earlier seen holding up a flag containing an Islamic declaration of faith.

The first development came six hours after the hostage crisis began, when three men were seen running from a fire exit of the Lindt Chocolat Cafe in downtown Sydney.

Shortly afterward, two women, one after another, sprinted from the cafe and into the arms of heavily armed police. Both were wearing aprons with the Lindt chocolate logo, indicating they were cafe employees.

"We do not have any information that suggests that anybody is harmed at this stage," New South Wales Police Deputy Commissioner Catherine Burn said, after the first three hostages had emerged.

FULL story at link.



Police evacuate people from an office building close to a cafe under siege at Martin Place in the central business district of Sydney, Australia, Monday, Dec. 15, 2014. A gunman took an unknown number of people hostage inside a chocolate shop and cafe in Australia's largest city on Monday, with two people inside the cafe seen holding up a flag believed to contain an Islamic declaration of faith. (AP Photo/Rob Griffith)


Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20141215/as--australia-police_operation-07bb410ba7.html

4 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
5 people flee Sydney hostage-crisis building (Original Post) Omaha Steve Dec 2014 OP
So gunman (men?) gets distracted christx30 Dec 2014 #1
Two bolted, one through the rear fire exit Warpy Dec 2014 #2
#Sydneysiege latest: Gunman reportedly demands ISIS flag, contact with Australian PM riversedge Dec 2014 #3
Terrorism expert @adamdolnik says we still don't know if #sydneysiege is a terrorist incident: riversedge Dec 2014 #4

christx30

(6,241 posts)
1. So gunman (men?) gets distracted
Mon Dec 15, 2014, 03:24 AM
Dec 2014

and 5 people bolt for the door. Very brave people. Happy they got out. Hope for a peaceful end to this stand off.

Warpy

(110,913 posts)
2. Two bolted, one through the rear fire exit
Mon Dec 15, 2014, 03:46 AM
Dec 2014

and one after an elderly person was let go through the front door. The door stayed open for a bit and out s/he came.

Supposedly the jihadi is in his 40s, from a usually reliable site, and known to police. So far nobody but the cops know if he's alone and they're not telling anyone. At least after the first 8 hours, he's talking.

I think there are mental issues here, since he obviously had no plan beyond taking hostages and forcing them to hold his flag up in the window.

I hope all the hostages come out OK. I also hope Jihadist goofballs don't get any smarter, like the Tsarnaev idiots who knew how to build a bomb but didn't have a clue what to do after it went off and hurt people.

riversedge

(69,727 posts)
3. #Sydneysiege latest: Gunman reportedly demands ISIS flag, contact with Australian PM
Mon Dec 15, 2014, 05:25 AM
Dec 2014



Fox News ?@FoxNews 44m44 minutes ago

#Sydneysiege latest: Gunman reportedly demands ISIS flag, contact with Australian PM http://fxn.ws/1ssSqtC



Australia-hotage-situation-121414.jpg

Dec. 15, 2014: A police runs along a street close to a cafe under siege at Martin Place in the central business district of Sydney, Australia. (AP)

Next

Five people have escaped from a cafe in central Sydney where a gunman had taken several people hostage Monday and forced two people to hold up a black flag bearing Islamic slogans written in Arabic in the store's window.

Australian broadcaster Network Ten reported that the unidentified gunman has forced hostages to call him "The Brother" and demanded the flag of the Islamic State terror group in return for the release of a hostage. He has also demanded to speak directly with Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott.

ADVERTISEMENT

The broadcaster reported that the gunman had relayed his demands to them through two hostages. The man also claimed that he had planted two bombs inside the cafe and two others elsewhere in Sydney's central business district.

Late Monday, Abbott released a pre-recorded statement calling the attack "very disturbing" and "profoundly shocking." His office has not responded to the gunman's demands. ......................

riversedge

(69,727 posts)
4. Terrorism expert @adamdolnik says we still don't know if #sydneysiege is a terrorist incident:
Mon Dec 15, 2014, 07:03 AM
Dec 2014

The Lowy Institute ?@LowyInstitute 5m5 minutes ago Sydney, New South Wales

Terrorism expert @adamdolnik says we still don't know if #sydneysiege is a terrorist incident: http://www.lowyinterpreter.org/post/2014/12/15/The-Interpreter-talks-to-terrorism-expert-Adam-Dolnik.aspx

Latest Discussions»Latest Breaking News»5 people flee Sydney host...