Attack on Sydney

Chronicle: hostage taking and release in Australia

An armed man with radical Islamist views captured staff and customers at the Lindt cafe in central Sydney. The exact number of hostages, as well as the motives of the terrorist himself, remained unknown for a long time. He later demanded negotiations with the country's Prime Minister and said that his actions were an attack by the terrorist organization ISIS on Australia

The siege of the cafe by security forces lasted a total of more than 16 hours. Then the building was stormed. TJ followed the developments, collecting all the most important information from the media and social networks.

Updated [19:30]: The Reuters news agency, citing the Sky News channel, reported that the Iranian hostage-taker Man Haron Monis was killed during the assault. The terrorist is listed as one of two killed during the special operation. The identity of the second is still unknown.

Sydney hostage taker among two people killed after cafe siege ends in gunfire: Sky News

— Reuters Top News (@Reuters) December 15, 2014

Updated [19:22]: Let's summarize. On the morning of December 15, an armed man took hostages at the Lindt cafe in central Sydney. Soon a black flag with Arabic script appeared in one of the shop windows.

It was reported that the terrorist could hold up to 50 people hostage. Later it became known that about 15 people were captured.

Having made contact through one of the captives, the captor demanded that the flag of the terrorist group ISIS be handed over to him, declared his actions an attack on the whole of Australia and demanded negotiations with the country's Prime Minister Tony Abbott.

The demands were not met, and the area around the cafe was blocked off. The siege lasted about 16 hours. During this time, five hostages managed to break free.

On the evening of December 15, Australian police and intelligence agencies began storming the cafe. As a result, all the people inside were freed, and several people were injured. At the time of writing this material, nothing was known about the fate of the terrorist himself. According to various sources, he could have been detained during the assault or killed.

Updated [18:52]: Law enforcement agencies have not yet confirmed rumors about two deaths.

Updated [18:44]: Sydney Police have confirmed the operation has ended. And there is still no accurate information on the terrorist and the possible number of victims.

Sydney police confirm siege is now over #sydneysiege

— Jonathan Samuels (@jonathansamuels) December 15, 2014

Updated [18:40]: There are reports that the terrorist has been killed. No confirmation yet.

BBC: Unconfirmed reports that the gunman has been shot dead. #sydneysiege

— Scott Reid (@scottreid1980) December 15, 2014

SYDNEY TERROR - Heavily-armed police storm cafe - Multiple hostages flee - Hostages seriously wounded - Gunman said to be dead

— PzFeed Top News (@PzFeed) December 15, 2014

Updated [18:33]: The Guardian reports that a robot designed to find and defuse bombs is entering the premises of the Lindt coffee shop. But where the terrorist himself is and what happened to him is unknown.

Updated [18:30]: At least four victims were taken away on stretchers. There is no official information from the authorities yet.

#Sydneysiege : hostages are being carried off on stretchers after police stormed the cafe. http://t.co/vtkolk9cXy pic.twitter.com/uGOFiI8gcy

— WORLD OUTBACK NEWS (@NewsOutback) December 15, 2014

#DEVELOPING 5 more hostages run out of #sydneysiege hands up,major explosion heard followed by gunfire.4 stretchers seen carrying hostages.

— Stephanie Chuang (@StephChuang) December 15, 2014

Updated [18:25]: Journalists in the special operation zone confirm that the wounded are being taken out of the building.

3 bursts of gunfire. First was long - maybe 10-15seconds. One wounded person carried from building. Lots of smoke. #sydneysiege

— Helen Davidson (@heldavidson) December 15, 2014

Updated [18:23]: Ambulances at Martin Place. On social networks they write about continued shots and white smoke enveloping everything around. There are obviously wounded, but who and how many are still unclear.

Updated [18:17]: It seems this is an assault. Police and special forces are entering, journalists from the scene report.

Police going in

— Chris Reason (@ChrisReason7) December 15, 2014

Updated [18:16]: More explosions. At least three already.

Hostages have run out of the cafe after loud bangs #sydneysiege

— Helen Davidson (@heldavidson) December 15, 2014

Updated [18:12]: The hostages ran outside after a series of loud bangs.

BREAKING: Large group of hostages come running out of #sydneysiege pic.twitter.com/QBpLJlbJKC

— Cameron Stewart (@camstewart1990) December 15, 2014

Hostages have run out of the cafe after loud bangs #sydneysiege

— Helen Davidson (@heldavidson) December 15, 2014

Updated [18:10]: Social networks report the appearance of video footage of new released (or escaped) hostages. The Guardian writes that five more people are still at large.

Just seeing on the TV that some hostages are apparently being released. #sydneysiege

— Emily (@Emilitaa23) December 15, 2014

Updated [18:00]: This is the map of the Sydney area where the hostage rescue operation is taking place. The red border has a completely cordoned off area. Streets that are closed to traffic are highlighted in green.

Updated [17:30]: 49-year-old Man Haron Monis calls himself a religious figure and peace activist. He had previously been convicted of sending insulting letters to relatives of deceased Australian soldiers. The man came to Australia from Iran in 1996, having received refugee status on the basis of persecution by the current authorities of his home country. According to Moniz, Iranian authorities forcibly kept his wife and children under house arrest, effectively turning them into hostages. He was later also suspected of murdering his ex-wife and numerous cases of sexual assault. The trial of Charon Monis was scheduled to take place in February 2015.

Updated [17:17]: Several media outlets immediately named the suspect in the attack on a cafe in Sydney. This is Iranian Man Haron Monis. The man received asylum in Australia and lives as a refugee. It is reported that before the attack, Monis was under investigation and was released only thanks to bail.

Updated [16:35]: A video with an appeal to the Australian authorities, recorded by one of the hostages in the Lindt cafe, began to spread on YouTube and social networks. Speaking on behalf of the terrorist, the woman conveyed several of his requests.

In particular, the request to consider the seizure in the center of Sydney as an ISIS attack on Australia, as well as the willingness to release five people in exchange for organizing negotiations with the country's Prime Minister. Also during the video, the woman claims that there are three explosive devices planted on the streets adjacent to Martin Place. Reports about this have previously appeared in the media, but have not been officially confirmed.

The video of the appeal and its copies were removed from YouTube several times, after which they appeared on the service again.

Updated [13:10]: One of the Lindt cafe employees who was being held hostage turned off the lights in the room. It seems that all this could drag on for a very long time.

Updated [11:40]: Channel 7 journalist Cris Reason reports that media staff were able to count about 15 hostages in the Lindt cafe. There are no children among them. Some of the prisoners take turns holding the flag the terrorist brought with him at the window. Recently people were fed and then gathered in one part of the hall. The windows of the editorial office where Reason works overlook the cordoned off Martin Place, where the cafe was seized.

Updated [9:54]: The Guardian newspaper, citing Channel 10, reported that several hostages from the coffee shop contacted journalists. They told the press that the terrorist was demanding to speak with Prime Minister Tony Abbott, as well as an ISIS flag. This is the third message from the media with such information, but until now these demands have not been officially confirmed.

Updated [9:18]: Australian authorities have confirmed that they were able to contact the invader. Interestingly, hundreds of local residents gathered in the city to observe the operation. Despite the seriousness of everything that is happening, many of them take selfies against the backdrop of the cordoned off streets.

Updated [9:05]: Australian TV channel 9 News reported two more women leaving the coffee shop. Thus, at 9:05 Moscow time, five hostages were free. It is unknown whether they were released by the terrorist or whether they managed to escape on their own.

UPDATE: Two more hostages can be seen running from a different exit of the #siege , more Lindt workers. #9News pic.twitter.com/iHA9GANorH

— Nine News Sydney (@9NewsSyd) December 15, 2014

What's happened

On December 15, around 9:45 am local time, an armed terrorist took hostage employees and customers of the Lindt cafe in the center of Sydney.

The exact number of hostages remained unknown at the time of writing. According to media reports, representatives of the cafe reported that the establishment employs 10 people. It is assumed that about 30 other visitors could have been in the cafe with them at the time of the attack.

It is also unclear how many people are involved in the attack. Only one armed terrorist is known for certain, but the police do not rule out that there may also be his accomplices in the building.

Earlier, The Daily Telegraph newspaper reported : an eyewitness to the seizure, who was passing by the coffee shop at the time of the attack, confirmed that he saw an armed man in a black T-shirt and with a bandage on his head, accompanied by two other people dressed in the same way.

A few hours after the attack, three hostages managed to leave the building and be free. Police confirmed that all three fled the cafe on their own.

NSW Police confirm three people have emerged from the Lindt cafe in Martin Place #sydneysiege http://t.co/4MUc9ivwbK pic.twitter.com/ZoZyJnkANL

— ABC News (@abcnews) December 15, 2014

Incredible images coming out of Martin Place as three men escape hostage situation. More here: http://t.co/CgrA6ows1g pic.twitter.com/hc17aoJL0a

— Susannah Guthrie (@susguthrie) December 15, 2014

What does the invader want?

There is little information about the terrorist's plans and demands. It is known that this is a young man who adheres to radical Islamist views. On his orders, three hostages leaned a black flag with an inscription in Arabic against the glass of the Lindt cafe.

Initially, users on social networks mistakenly identified the flag as belonging to the terrorist group "Islamic State" (ISIS). The group is active in Syria and Iraq and is considered by the authorities of most Western countries to be one of the most serious and widespread such organizations currently operating.

However, it later turned out that the black flag on the glass is the so-called traditional Islamic Shahada flag with the inscription “I testify that there is no God but Allah, I testify that Muhammad is his Messenger.”

The terrorist himself did not put forward any demands at the time of writing this material. Australian intelligence services and police have not yet been able to contact him, and the motive for the hostage-taking has not been established.

What the police do

Australian law enforcement and military units have closed Martin Place in central Sydney, where the Lindt cafe is located. A closed cordoned off zone has been created around the street, the movement of people and vehicles through which is prohibited.

The city evacuated all people in nearby buildings. All office premises, shopping centers, cafes and shops are closed.

The Reserve Bank of Australia building, located 200 meters from the coffee shop, and the nearby New South Wales State Parliament building are also closed. According to some reports, the bank employees were not evacuated - they are still inside.

Sydney Opera House among buildings evacuated due to #SydneySiege : http://t.co/xQtgKojdnC pic.twitter.com/LPOz3sxOI7

— Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) December 15, 2014

Sydney standoff update: 3 people emerge from cafe, Aussie police confirm contact with gunman http://t.co/T0Q6h4lXTI pic.twitter.com/uUDAQrCQKE

— CBC News (@CBCNews) December 15, 2014

In addition, the Sydney Opera House, located one and a half kilometers from Lindt, has been placed under enhanced security. For unknown reasons, all personnel were evacuated from the theater building. Several employees were later allowed back inside.

What are the authorities going to do?

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott announced the police's intention to make every effort to resolve the conflict peacefully and avoid casualties. Nothing was reported about the plan for a possible assault on the cafe.

At the same time, authorities confirmed that several anti-terrorism raids were being carried out in other parts of the country at the same time as the Martin Place operation. It is alleged that they are in no way connected with the attack on the cafe.

#Article #terrorism #Sydney #social networks #hostage-taking_in_Sydney #Cafe_Lindt_in_Sydney #Martin_place