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| Two hostages and gunman dead, four injured, as Sydney cafe siege ends | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Two hostages and a gunman are dead after a 17-hour armed siege in Sydney’s Martin Place ended with police storming the cafe. | Two hostages and a gunman are dead after a 17-hour armed siege in Sydney’s Martin Place ended with police storming the cafe. |
| Four people were also injured as the siege ended in a chaotic shootout in the early hours of Tuesday. | Four people were also injured as the siege ended in a chaotic shootout in the early hours of Tuesday. |
| The New South Wales police commissioner, Andrew Scipione, confirmed a 34-year-old man and a 38-year-old woman, who were among the hostages, were shot and pronounced dead at hospital. The 50-year-old man who took the hostages, named as Man Haron Monis, died in hospital after the confrontation, Scipione said. | The New South Wales police commissioner, Andrew Scipione, confirmed a 34-year-old man and a 38-year-old woman, who were among the hostages, were shot and pronounced dead at hospital. The 50-year-old man who took the hostages, named as Man Haron Monis, died in hospital after the confrontation, Scipione said. |
| Two women were taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Another woman had a gunshot wound to her shoulder and a male police officer suffered non-life threatening wounds to his face from gunshot pellets. | Two women were taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Another woman had a gunshot wound to her shoulder and a male police officer suffered non-life threatening wounds to his face from gunshot pellets. |
| Monis was pronounced dead on arrival at hospital after being shot during the gunfight. | Monis was pronounced dead on arrival at hospital after being shot during the gunfight. |
| The #sydneysiege is over, NSW police have confirmed. They could not comment on injuries or fatalities but will have more info soon. | The #sydneysiege is over, NSW police have confirmed. They could not comment on injuries or fatalities but will have more info soon. |
| Shortly after 2am local time a loud bang was heard from the Lindt Cafe and a group of about six hostages fled the building. Moments later stun grenades and gunfire erupted as officers from the police tactical operations unit carrying assault rifles and wearing body armour entered the building. | |
| Further exchanges continued and police emerged carrying one injured woman. Paramedics and emergency services then brought out three injured people on stretcher trolleys, performing CPR on one as they rushed away. | Further exchanges continued and police emerged carrying one injured woman. Paramedics and emergency services then brought out three injured people on stretcher trolleys, performing CPR on one as they rushed away. |
| A bomb disposal robot then entered the building, but Scipione later said no evidence of explosives was found. | A bomb disposal robot then entered the building, but Scipione later said no evidence of explosives was found. |
| Scipione told a media conference on Tuesday morning the siege was “an isolated incident” and the “act of an individual”. The police response had been extremely cautious throughout the day. Scipione said they had believed no one was injured up to that point. | Scipione told a media conference on Tuesday morning the siege was “an isolated incident” and the “act of an individual”. The police response had been extremely cautious throughout the day. Scipione said they had believed no one was injured up to that point. |
| “That changed, [so] we changed our tack,” he said. | “That changed, [so] we changed our tack,” he said. |
| He would not comment or speculate on decisions made during the siege or its denouement. | He would not comment or speculate on decisions made during the siege or its denouement. |
| The NSW premier, Mike Baird, said he came to the media conference with “the heaviest of hearts”. | The NSW premier, Mike Baird, said he came to the media conference with “the heaviest of hearts”. |
| “We have lost some of our own,” he said. | “We have lost some of our own,” he said. |
| “Sydney has been shamed by a tragedy none of us could imagine,” he said, but added that “we will get through this”. | “Sydney has been shamed by a tragedy none of us could imagine,” he said, but added that “we will get through this”. |
| Both Baird and Scipione praised the police’s action and said they saved many lives. | Both Baird and Scipione praised the police’s action and said they saved many lives. |
| The prime minister, Tony Abbott said the government’s “thoughts and prayers are with the families of the two deceased hostages, the wounded and the other hostages”. | The prime minister, Tony Abbott said the government’s “thoughts and prayers are with the families of the two deceased hostages, the wounded and the other hostages”. |
| “I commend the courage and professionalism of the New South Wales Police and other emergency services involved,” he said in a statement. | “I commend the courage and professionalism of the New South Wales Police and other emergency services involved,” he said in a statement. |
| The Australian cabinet’s national security committee was due to convene on Tuesday morning. | The Australian cabinet’s national security committee was due to convene on Tuesday morning. |
| Monis walked into the Lindt cafe on Monday morning shortly before 10am, reportedly carrying a blue sports bag, and took 17 people hostage. Heavily armed police surrounded the cafe and closed off the streets of the central area. | Monis walked into the Lindt cafe on Monday morning shortly before 10am, reportedly carrying a blue sports bag, and took 17 people hostage. Heavily armed police surrounded the cafe and closed off the streets of the central area. |
| Hostages were made to hold a flag up at the cafe’s window which appeared to bear the shahada, an Islamic affirmation of the oneness of God, reading: “There is no god but the God, Muhammad is the messenger of God.” | Hostages were made to hold a flag up at the cafe’s window which appeared to bear the shahada, an Islamic affirmation of the oneness of God, reading: “There is no god but the God, Muhammad is the messenger of God.” |
| The creed is common in the Islamic world and appears on the Saudi Arabian flag, but has been embraced by Islamist groups such as Jabhat al-Nusra and Hizb ut-Tahrir. | The creed is common in the Islamic world and appears on the Saudi Arabian flag, but has been embraced by Islamist groups such as Jabhat al-Nusra and Hizb ut-Tahrir. |
| Monis was known to the police, having pleaded guilty in 2013 to offences relating to abusive letters he sent to the families of deceased Australian soldiers. He was on bail facing dozens of charges of indecent and sexual assault. He was also implicated in the murder of his former wife. | Monis was known to the police, having pleaded guilty in 2013 to offences relating to abusive letters he sent to the families of deceased Australian soldiers. He was on bail facing dozens of charges of indecent and sexual assault. He was also implicated in the murder of his former wife. |
| A fringe figure in Australia’s Muslim community, Monis had been spurned by Shia leaders, who had reportedly urged federal police to investigate the man over his claims to be an ayatollah, or Shia cleric. | A fringe figure in Australia’s Muslim community, Monis had been spurned by Shia leaders, who had reportedly urged federal police to investigate the man over his claims to be an ayatollah, or Shia cleric. |
| The Iranian-born 49-year-old, who apparently converted from Shia Islam to Sunni only last week, was infamously involved in sending “grossly offensive” letters to parents and relatives of Australian victims of terrorism and troops killed in Afghanistan between 2007 and 2009. He unsuccessfully challenged the conviction in the high court last year. | The Iranian-born 49-year-old, who apparently converted from Shia Islam to Sunni only last week, was infamously involved in sending “grossly offensive” letters to parents and relatives of Australian victims of terrorism and troops killed in Afghanistan between 2007 and 2009. He unsuccessfully challenged the conviction in the high court last year. |
| He has also been accused of being an accessory in the killing of his former wife, a charge for which he was on bail. | He has also been accused of being an accessory in the killing of his former wife, a charge for which he was on bail. |
| He told ABC News in 2001 that he fled Australia five years earlier after falling foul of the Iranian regime, which he said had placed his wife and children under house arrest. “I can say they are hostage,” he said at the time. | He told ABC News in 2001 that he fled Australia five years earlier after falling foul of the Iranian regime, which he said had placed his wife and children under house arrest. “I can say they are hostage,” he said at the time. |
| His former lawyer Manny Conditsis told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation: “This is a one-off random individual. It’s not a concerted terrorism event or act. It’s a damaged goods individual who’s done something outrageous.” | His former lawyer Manny Conditsis told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation: “This is a one-off random individual. It’s not a concerted terrorism event or act. It’s a damaged goods individual who’s done something outrageous.” |