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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Sydney cafe siege: Australia police storm building | Sydney cafe siege: Australia police storm building |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Heavily armed police have stormed a cafe in Sydney, ending a siege by a gunman identified as an Iranian refugee who took dozens of people hostage. | |
| Paramedics carrying stretchers raced towards the cafe moments after police commandos moved against the cafe. | |
| Several people appear to have been injured while the fate of the gunman is not yet known. | |
| Central Sydney has been in lockdown since the gunman seized the hostages early on Monday morning. | Central Sydney has been in lockdown since the gunman seized the hostages early on Monday morning. |
| Early in the siege, hostages were forced to hold up a black Islamic banner at the window. | Early in the siege, hostages were forced to hold up a black Islamic banner at the window. |
| The cafe is located in Martin Place, a busy shopping area in Sydney's financial district. | |
| Prime Minister Tony Abbott said it was "profoundly shocking" that people were being "held hostage by an armed person claiming political motivation". | |
| Police with assault rifles and wearing helmets and body armour could be seen piling into the cafe, tossing stun grenades ahead of them, and apparently opening fire. | |
| Hostages could be seen running to safety with their hands in the air. A man and a woman were carried to safety by emergency services. | |
| New South Wales police announced the end of the siege at 02:44 local time (15:44 GMT) in a tweet, promising details later. | |
| The suspect, 49-year-old Man Haron Monis, received political asylum in Australia in 1996 and was on bail facing a number of charges. | |
| He was described by his former lawyer as an isolated figure. | |
| Are you in Sydney? Have you witnessed the hostage situation? You can get in touch by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. | |
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