A gunman is holding an
undisclosed number of people hostage in a central Sydney cafe called Lindt.
According to a local TV channel, some of the hostages are being forced to hold
a black banner with white Arabic slogan written on it to the window. Australian PM Tony Abbot says that the
incident seems to be a politically motivated one.
"This is a very disturbing
incident. I can understand the concerns and anxieties of the Australian
people," he told the media in Canberra. He did not provide any info on the
unfolding of events.
Australia is a strong ally of the
US in its offensive in Syria and Iraq against the ISIS militia, and is on high
alert for attacks from the home-grown Islamic militants.
The CEO of the cafe says that
there are around 30 customers and 10 staffs inside the cafe right now.
The New South Wales police says
that it dealing with the armed incident. Around four hours after the incident,
the Police Commissioner of NSW, Andrew Sipion, says that the police is not in
contact with the gunmen.
The PM, Tony Abbot, has appealed
the police that they should not panic and work in a normal way. He has also said that the
government is keeping an eye on the incident.
It should be noted that the cafe
is situated in Martin Place, in the heart of the city; the area happens be home
to the Reserve Bank of Australia, commercial banks, and is close to the New
South Wales state parliament.
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