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Police in Sydney: 3 dead in raid to free captives held by Iranian-born gunman Police storm cafe in Sydney to end hostage standoff
(about 4 hours later)
In a blitz-style assault early Tuesday, Australian riot police ended a 16-hour hostage crisis as frightened captives rushed onto the streets amid intense gunfire that fatally wounded the self-styled Muslim cleric who held them. After a nearly 16-hour standoff, Australian police stormed a cafe where an apparent Iranian refugee held hostages at gunpoint and forced them to display an Islamic flag.
A police statement said two people — a 34-year-old man and a 38-year-old woman — died during the predawn police operation in downtown Sydney. The statement also said that a third person, described by police officials as the hostage-taker, was pronounced dead after being taken to a hospital. Amid a succession of loud bangs, police moved into the cafe with their weapons drawn. Hostages fled on the street — some with they hands held up. It was not immediately clear whether there were injuries.
Four others were injured, including a police officer who suffered a gunshot wound to the face. In a Twitter post, police described the siege as over. It said more details would follow.
The motives for the hostage-taking at the Lindt Chocolate Cafe remain unclear. But the gunman was convicted last year of sending hate mail to families of Australian troops killed in Afghanistan and was facing other charges, including in connection with the killing of his former wife. Shortly before the move by police, Australian media identified the hostage-taker as an Iranian refugee, Man Haron Monis, previously convicted of sending hate mail to families of Australian soldiers killed in Afghanistan.
The decision to carry out the police raid was apparently prompted by worries that the gunman, identified as Iranian-born Man Haron Monis, was growing uneasy and had begun corralling some captives in a section of the cafe. Monis, a self-styled Islamic cleric and “spiritual healer,” was convicted in 2012 of sending threatening and offensive letters to the families of eight Australian military members killed in Afghanistan, the Reuters news agency and Australian media reported, citing police sources.
“They made the call because they believed that, at that time, if they didn’t enter, there would have been many more lives lost,” said Andrew Scipione, commissioner of the New South Wales state police. A spokeswoman for the New South Wales police department, which covers Sydney, gave indirect confirmation of the reports, saying the name was earlier kept secret for “operational reasons” but was now in the “public domain.”
The long showdown captured the world’s attention and raised questions about whether it was a “lone wolf” attack inspired by calls from militant groups such as the Islamic State. Earlier this month, when a woman in the United Arab Emirates fatally stabbed an American teacher, Abu Dhabi officials partially blamed the slaying on the influence of radical Islamists. As Sydney moved past midnight Tuesday, there were images that suggested links to an Islamist-inspired attack, but authorities had given no public clues on the possible motives.
The Islamic State and other extremist groups have threatened Australia with violence for its participation in the U.S.-led campaign against Islamist militants in Iraq and Syria. Australia, in response, has imposed new security measures in recent months and made several arrests of suspects accused of plotting acts of violence. Monis was charged last year with being an accessory to the murder of his ex-wife who was stabbed and set alight in a Sydney apartment block, Reuters reported. Monis’s website shows graphic images of children that the website says were killed by U.S. and Australian airstrikes.
The raid at the cafe began without warning. Suddenly, a series of bangs sounded — possibly from stun grenades — and a barrage of gunfire followed. Police poured in, weapons drawn and face masks in place. Hostages raced in the other direction, some with hands raised. Five people had managed to flee the cafe, including three wearing Lindt aprons.
Scipione said the gunman initially took 17 people hostage. Five people later escaped as the drama unfolded, including scenes in which captives were forced to hold a black banner with Arabic writing to the window. Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said only that “an armed person” was “claiming political motivation.””The whole point of politically motivated violence is to scare people out of being themselves,” he said.
Monis, 50, a self-proclaimed “spiritual healer,” was sentenced to 300 hours of community service for sending the threatening and harassing letters to the families of the fallen military personnel. He was later charged with being an accessory to the murder of his ex-wife. He was also charged with sexually assaulting a woman in 2002. He was out on bail, the Reuters news agency reported. “Australia is a peaceful, open and generous society. Nothing should ever change that and that’s why I would urge all Australians today to go about their business as usual.
Australia’s 9News said Monis — who also went by the names Sheik Haron and Mohammad Hassan Manteghi — moved to Australia in 1996 and was granted political asylum. “The events on Martin Place — near Sydney’s landmark sail-shaped opera house — began as Monday morning rush hour was just starting to quiet. Witnesses said they saw a man with a gun walk into the cafe about 9:45 a.m.
His Web site shows graphic images of children who the site claims were killed by U.S. and Australian airstrikes. The site insists that Monis “supports his Muslim brothers [and] sisters” but is not affiliated with specific groups. Soon, local TV stations filmed people through a window with their hands raised or palms pressed against the glass. Two held up a black sign with Arabic writing that read, “There is no God but Allah” and “Mohammed is the messenger of God,” according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
Still, authorities are certain to explore possible connections to Islamist factions or propaganda. Before the raid, Prime Minister Tony Abbott said only that the hostage-taker was “claiming political motivation.” About 4 p.m., three men ran from the cafe’s fire exit. One was wearing a brown Lindt cafe apron. About an hour later, two women sprint from the same side door and ran into the arms of police. Both women were wearing Lindt aprons and also appeared to be employees. One of the former hostages was taken to St. Vincent’s Hospital and listed in satisfactory condition, authorities said.
“The whole point of politically motivated violence is to scare people out of being themselves,” Abbott said. There were probably around 10 staff in the cafe when the gunman entered this morning, said Lindt Australia Chief Executive Officer Steve Loane, according to Reuters.
Monis’s former attorney, Manny Conditsis, described him as an “isolated figure,” according to the Australian Broadcasting Corp. While many details about siege remained unanswered, the location suggested it was picked for maximum effect. The cafe is just yards from the newsroom of Channel Seven, the nation’s most-watched commercial broadcaster. Within minutes, a huge media contingent was camped out across from the cafe.
“His ideology is just so strong and so powerful that it clouds his vision for common sense and objectiveness,” the lawyer said. One radio reporter said he received a call from a “young person” held inside the cafe, but said it would have been “irresponsible” to put him on the air in case the broadcast endangered others. Later, the reporter, Ray Hadley of Radio 2GB, issued an impassioned plea on the air: “If there are no children in there, please release the women.”
The events on Martin Place — near the landmark sail-shaped Sydney Opera House — began Monday morning as rush hour was just starting to quiet. Witnesses said they saw a man with a gun walk into the cafe about 9:45 a.m. At about 9 p.m. Sydney time, the lights in the cafe were switched off. Police put on night-vision goggles and reinforced the cordon around the building.
Soon, local TV stations showed footage shot through the cafe’s windows of people with their hands raised or palms pressed against the glass. Two held up a black banner bearing Arabic writing that expressed the Shahada, the Islamic declaration of faith: “There is no god but Allah; Muhammad is the messenger of God.” Australia has been threatened with violence by the Islamic State and other extremists in part for its participation in the U.S.-led battle with extremists in Iraq and Syria. New security measures have been put in place in recent months in response and a number of arrests have been made of individuals allegedly plotting acts of violence. Muslim leaders in Australia deplored the incident but pleaded with people not to jump to conclusions.
About 4 p.m., three men ran from the cafe’s fire exit, one of them wearing a brown Lindt cafe apron. About an hour later, two women sprinted out the same side door, into the arms of police. Both also were wearing Lindt aprons and appeared to be employees. Aftab Malik, a Muslim community leader, who also works as a scholar-in-residence at the Lebanese Muslim Association in Lakemba in south-west Sydney, said he was shocked by what has taken place.
Although many details about the siege remain unanswered, the choice of the location suggested that it was picked for maximum effect. The cafe is just yards from the newsroom of Channel Seven, the nation’s most-watched commercial broadcaster. Within minutes, a huge media contingent was camped across from the cafe. “We need to avoid wild speculation and use sensitive language to avoid any tensions escalating,” he said, according to Australian Broadcasting. The black flag, he said, quoted the Muslim testimony of faith.
One radio reporter said that he received a call from a “young person” held inside the cafe but that it would have been “irresponsible” to put the caller on the air in case the broadcast endangered others. Downtown Sydney was placed on lockdown, evoking memories of a similar street-clearing order in late October after a lone gunman stormed the Canadian parliament in Ottawa.
“I could hear the hostage-taker in the background issuing instructions to him on what to request me to say on air,” the reporter, Ray Hadley of Radio 2GB, told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. Helicopters hovered over the city. Surrounding streets and a train station were shut down. The Sydney Opera House, State Library and the U.S. Consulate General in Sydney were evacuated. By late afternoon, the Sydney Opera House announced it would cancel this evening’s performances.
Hadley only broadcast an impassioned plea: “If there are no children in there, please release the women.” “I won’t clarify any operation tactics at the moment,” New South Wales State Police Deputy Commissioner Catherine Burn said during a news conference. “It is really important to remember that this is ongoing, that we still have people who are being held. We still have a person that we are dealing with. So as soon as we are able to provide that information, we certainly will, but the good news is that we do have five people who have come out of that building and that we are now dealing with.”
About 9 p.m., the lights in the cafe were switched off. Police officers put on night-vision goggles and reinforced the cordon around the building. Throughout the day, authorities said they had been negotiating with the gunman “in various forms.”
The raid came several hours later. By 2:45 a.m, police had declared the operation over. “There is speculation about what he might want, but we have to deal with him at the level of police negotiation,” Burn said.
Muslim leaders in Australia, including the grand mufti, Ibrahim Abu Mohamed, deplored thehostage-taking as a “criminal act.” During Burn’s news conference, reporters said hostages were posting alleged demands from the gunman on social media. Burn said authorities are monitoring Facebook and Twitter as part of a “tactical response,” but did not elaborate. Police have asked these alleged demands not be made public. Since then, the Sydney Morning Herald wrote on its live feed, “This blog is retracting reports of multiple demands that had come from a number of media outlets.”
While the hostage crisis was underway, downtown Sydney was placed on lockdown, evoking memories of a similar street-clearing order in late October after a lone gunman stormed the Canadian Parliament in Ottawa. After the incident, world leaders were briefed on the situation. President Obama spoke with his counterterrorism adviser, Lisa Monaco.
Helicopters hovered over the city. Surrounding streets and a train station were shut down. The opera house, the state library and the U.S. Consulate General were evacuated, and the opera house canceled Monday evening’s performances. British Prime Minister David Cameron wrote on Twitter, “It’s deeply concerning and my thoughts are with all those caught up in it.” Indian prime minister Narendra Modi called it “disturbing.” New Zealand Prime Minister John Key and Peter O’Neill, the prime minister of Papua New Guinea, joined the conversation as well.
After the incident, world leaders were briefed on the situation. President Obama spoke with Lisa Monaco, his counterterrorism adviser. Stephen Harper, prime minister of Canada extended his support. “Canada’s thoughts and prayers are with our Australian friends #MartinPlace #SydneySiege,” Stephen Harper posted on Twitter.
One woman sent a text to her cousin — a single exclamation point — from the cafe moments after it was seized. One woman sent a text to her cousin — a single exclamation point — from the cafe moments after it was siezed.
“I knew there was something wrong,” the relative told the Daily Mail Australia, declining to give her name at the time because of fears that it could put her cousin in danger. “I knew there was something wrong,” the relative told the Daily Mail Australia, declining to give her name because of fears it could put her cousin in danger.
Peter Holley contributed to this report. However, the police commissioner Scipione said there was no immediate confirmation the incident is related to terrorism.
“We want the matter resolved peacefully and we will do all we need to do to ensure that,” he said. “We are very contained. We certainly have tight restrictions and tight controls around that location and we will work as long as we need to bring this to an outcome. The officers there are trained and professional. They know what they’re doing and they have trained for. This I am sure they will get through this and this will be an outcome that will be positive.”
Although Martin Place has been dubbed an “exclusion zone,” officials encouraged people to go about their business in other areas.
“This is a very disturbing incident. I can understand the concerns and anxieties of the Australia people at a time like this but our thoughts and prayers must above all go out to the individuals who are caught up in this,” Abbott said.
This story has been updated multiple times.