Australia - Martin Place siege: 2 Hostages killed in Lindt Chocolate shop #1

[04009margaret]

This terrorist is not a young man, hopefully with the 5 escaping it's a sign he is exhausted.

 

[SouthAussie]

Oooh ... been following this all day at work. Scary stuff. Heard on the way home that all shows at the Sydney Opera House are cancelled tonight, refunds available .. sounds as though everyone is preparing for this to go on for quite a while.

 

[they'll get you]

Channel9 said hostages escaping - they are not being released.

Channel7 One hostage has been taken to hospital - stable condition.

Channel7 all Opera House performances have been cancelled.

 

[CARIIS]

[h=2]Sydney Opera House cancels Monday night's performances amid hostage situation in effort to minimize pressure on transportation systems - @SydOperaHouse[/h]

 

[Ausgirl]

South east or Northern suburbs?

North. It's weirdly quiet around here. Plus, copters passing over earlier, very low. But I think it's just me being a fraidy cat, as I listen to the news, I'd expect 99% of households are glued to the telly, computers this afternoon. No kids out playing, minimal traffic. It's eery.

 

[they'll get you]

I have been glued to WS and media all day. I went to the local shops and people are going about a normal day. Now that felt eerie.

I spoke to a solicitor today and mentioned the siege, his offices are quite close - he didn't know anything about it.

 

[04009margaret]

North. It's weirdly quiet around here. Plus, copters passing over earlier, very low. But I think it's just me being a fraidy cat, as I listen to the news, I'd expect 99% of households are glued to the telly, computers this afternoon. No kids out playing, minimal traffic. It's eery.

Experienced the same feelings during the Endeavour Hills incident where the young guy stabbed the 2 police officers. I live 15 mins from there, we had sirens going off everywhere as all local police headed that way & the the police helicopter had to come from Mornington Peninsula so it flew very low over us.

 

[sleepinoz]

http://www.theage.com.au/national/s...lindt-cafe-hostage-drama-20141215-127epz.html

Publicity is the main aim for extremists holding hostages in a Sydney cafe, according to a leading terrorism expert.

That only heightens the "very real" danger to the people held at gunpoint inside the Lindt Chocolat Cafe in Martin Place, Professor Jeff Lewis from Melbourne's RMIT university said.

"The primary focus of these modern terrorism tactics is publicity," he said. "This is a classical tactic of political extremists...

"They want this thing broadcast across the planet.

 

[CARIIS]

Hadley said he could hear the gunman giving hostages instructions during the brief and tense phone call.
But the station has been quick to clarify the hostage had initially rung the 2GB studios — not the other way around.


At 1.30pm, during rolling coverage, 2GB producer Laura Parr tweeted: “Ray Hadley says he could hear gunman giving instructions to young hostage off air. Told to call him back in 10 minutes.’’
By 1.38pm NSW Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione confirmed the person who rang Hadley was a hostage.
It’s understood Hadley has passed details regarding the call directly to investigators.
“To clarify, Ray Hadley was contacted by the hostage, the call was taken off air and then confirmed by the Police Commissioner,” the station tweeted.


Lindt stores around Australia, including the franchises in Melbourne’s Southbank and Collins St, have closed, with a message posted for customers.
“Due to emergency situations, our business in not operated today, until further notice.’’

uk daily link did not cut paste

 

[Snoods]

I still believe this is good news that it has been this long without any fatalities (obviously). I will continue to be guardedly optimistic that everyone will emerge from this physically unharmed. Mentally is another story.

(*Admitting sheepishly* I'm superstitious, and I said something similar to this earlier and no hostages have been harmed and some have escaped. So I'm saying it again for good luck.)

 

[CARIIS]

he really has not hid his face so it seems he might kill himself at the conclsuion of whatever.................

 

[SouthAussie]

This bloke is not hiding his face, I'm sure he doesn't intend to come out of there alive. Wants to be a martyr and get his virgins in paradise.

 

[gitana1]

The stills of the one girl who looked so distraught as she left, it made me tear up. The trauma they are undergoing in that cafe must be horrible.

 

[sleepinoz]

This bloke is not hiding his face, I'm sure he doesn't intend to come out of there alive. Wants to be a martyr and get his virgins in paradise.

Exactly what the expert on Ch7 was just saying, and also that the place chosen is not ideal for a happy ending.

 

[they'll get you]

If the hostages are escaping then maybe the gunman is being worn down. Reports say that's what police tend to do.

Channel9 police know the identity of the gunman - police have established direct contact with the gunman.
Established from CCTV cameras when he was walking in Martin Place.

Channel9 Police contact a Muslim cleric to speak with gunman.

Channel9 Sydney airport remains open.

 

[KEVINinTO]

Translation of the Arabic wording on the flag:

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2014/1...y-siege-hostages-bears-islamic-message-faith/

"The white Arabic writing on the black flag is the Shahada, or Islamic declaration of faith. Translated, the statement means "There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is His messenger."

It is not an ISIS flag per se but has been used by Islamic State as well as other Islamic terrorist groups such as Al Nusra Front (Al Qaeda in Syria).

There can be little doubt that we are witnessing Islamic terrorism.

 

[SouthAussie]

Do we have an exact count on the hostages yet? ... I read up to 20 ... and five now escaped.

 

[they'll get you]

http://www.theage.com.au/national/s...lindt-cafe-hostage-drama-20141215-127epz.html

Publicity is the main aim for extremists holding hostages in a Sydney cafe, according to a leading terrorism expert.

That only heightens the "very real" danger to the people held at gunpoint inside the Lindt Chocolat Cafe in Martin Place, Professor Jeff Lewis from Melbourne's RMIT university said.

"The primary focus of these modern terrorism tactics is publicity," he said. "This is a classical tactic of political extremists...

"They want this thing broadcast across the planet.

Is that why he tried to get into channel7 firstly?

 

[sleepinoz]

Do we have an exact count on the hostages yet? ... I read up to 20 ... and five now escaped.

No number confirmed we've heard 13 up to 50 - but if he has explosives it will be more than just hostages. Hopefully he doesn't have explosives.

 

[Ausgirl]

There can be little doubt that we are witnessing Islamic terrorism.

<modsnip>

The question is: is it a lone wolf, or a global org?

All reports are saying so far, experts saying, it looks more "lone wolf".