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Hostage situation in Sydney could be linked to Islamist militants Hostage standoff in Sydney. Landmarks evacuated.
(35 minutes later)
SYDNEY — A gunman took an unknown number of people hostage inside a downtown Sydney chocolate shop and cafe at the height of Monday morning rush hour, with two people inside the cafe seen holding up a flag believed to contain an Islamic declaration of faith. Updated at 12:08 a.m.:
Four hours after the incident first began at the Lindt Chocolat Cafe, New South Wales state Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione said police had not made direct contact with the gunman, did not know his motivation and were not sure how many people were being held. New South Wales police confirmed that three people have made it out of the Lindt chocolate shop and cafe in Sydney, where police said an “undisclosed number” of people had been taken hostage earlier on Monday.
“We have not yet confirmed it is a terrorism-related event,” Scipione said. “We’re dealing with a hostage situation with an armed offender and we are dealing with it accordingly.” Local TV stations report seeing three people run from a side door late Monday afternoon and hide behind heavily armed police. The three appeared to be an employee and two customers, according to the Guardian.
The cafe is in Martin Place, a plaza in the heart of the city’s financial and shopping district that is packed with holiday shoppers. Many of those inside the cafe would have been taken hostage as they stopped in for their morning coffee. “A peaceful resolution will be what we are working for,” New South Wales Deputy Commissioner Catherine Burn told the Sydney Morning Herald.
Hundreds of police flooded into the area, streets were closed and offices evacuated. The public was told to stay away from Martin Place, home to the state premier’s office, the Reserve Bank of Australia, and the headquarters of two of the nation’s largest banks. The state parliament house is a few blocks away. Burn could not confirm how many people were left inside the cafe, but told reporters the number is less than 30.
Television footage shot through the cafe’s windows showed several people with their arms in the air and hands pressed against the glass, and two people holding up what appeared to be a black flag with white Arabic writing on it. “The information that I have is that nobody has been harmed or injured at the moment,” she told the newspaper. “We clearly are dealing with a situation that is unfolding and it’s happening as we speak and the most important thing is the safety of those hostages and I wouldn’t want to do anything that may impact on the safety of those hostages.”
Zain Ali, the head of the Islamic Studies Research Unit at the University of Auckland, said it was difficult to read the message because media images showed only the lower part of the flag. But he thinks it was the Shahada, or declaration of faith, largely because a black flag with white writing in a contemporary context often contains that message. He said he made out the word “Muhammad.” Original story
Ali said the Shahada translates as “There is no deity of worship except God, and Muhammad is the messenger of God.” It is considered the first pillar of Islam’s five pillars of faith, and has been used by groups like al-Qaeda and Islamic State but wasn’t invented by them, Ali said. New South Wales police said Monday an undisclosed number of people have been taken hostage at a cafe in Sydney. At least two have been seen through windows at Lindt Cafe with their hands raised, while a black flag with Arabic writing waved behind them, stating “There is no God but Allah” and “Mohammed is the messenger of God,” according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
“We don’t know whether this is politically motivated, although obviously there are some indications that it could be,” Prime Minister Tony Abbott told reporters in the nation’s capital, Canberra. “We have to appreciate that even in a society such as ours, there are people who would wish to do us harm.” Although authorities would not disclose, or did not know, who took the hostages or how many there were, Australian TV reported that there were about 10 employees and 30 customers in the cafe. No injuries have been reported.
A police spokeswoman said no injuries had been reported. Heavily armed officers were lined up outside the cafe, and a man with a backpack inside the cafe could be seen walking back and forth in front of the glass doors. Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said that although the suspect’s motivation is still unknown, “we have to appreciate that even in a society such as ours, there are people that would wish to do us harm.”
“Police have been in attendance and have controlled the situation from very early this morning,” said Scipione, the police commissioner. “We are at this stage continuing to secure and make sure that we are doing all we can to bring this to a peaceful outcome.” “We don’t know whether this is politically motivated, although obviously there are some indications that it could be,” told in the nation’s capital, Canberra. He added: “The whole point of politically motivated violence is to scare people out of being themselves. 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.”
Abbott said the National Security Committee of Cabinet met to be briefed on the situation. A police spokeswoman told The Post the incident began Monday morning as people were arriving for work in Martin Place, a plaza in the Sydney’s financial and shopping district. Witnesses told BBC News they saw a man with a bag and gun walk into the chocolate shop and cafe. Streets surrounding the area were shut down. The Martin Place train station was also closed. Police said in a statement that officers were handling an “armed incident” and that officers were “attempting to make contact with those inside” the cafe.
“The whole point of politically motivated violence is to scare people out of being themselves,” Abbott said. “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.” Soon after, local TV footage showed people inside with the black flag up to the window.
— Associated Press Those in the area were instructed to stay away.
As a precaution, Sydney landmarks such as the Opera House and State Library were evacuated, according to news reports. By the afternoon, police were letting some people back into the opera house, where local media had reported a suspicious package, according to the Guardian.
Police commissioner Andrew Scipione said there is no 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.”
Abbott said the incident was still unfolding and urged caution.
“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,” he said.
This story has been updated.