Hostages held in Sydney cafe, possible by Islamists

[hellheaven1987]

Hostages were being held inside a central Sydney cafe where a black flag with white Arabic writing could be seen in the window, local television showed on Monday, raising fears of an attack linked to Islamic militants.

Australia, which is backing the United States and its escalating action against Islamic State in Syria and Iraq, is on high alert for attacks by radicalized Muslims or by home-grown fighters returning from fighting in the Middle East.

Part of Martin Place, home to the Reserve Bank of Australia, commercial banks and close to the New South Wales (NSW) state parliament, was closed off by armed police.

Live television footage showed patrons inside a cafe standing with their hands pressed against the windows. A black and white flag similar to those used by Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria was also visible.

NSW Police tweeted: "A police operation is underway in Martin Place, Sydney's CBD. People are advised to avoid the area."

Dozens of police including a SWAT team were setting up and a couple of hundred people were being held back by cordons.

Trains and buses were stopped and roads were blocked in the area, with train operators saying there had been a bomb threat at Martin Place.

Source

Ya, I guess it is 70% sure be an Islamist attack, the more important thing is whether it is done by lone wolf or through some organization.

[GreyFox]

If this truly is IS-types (and given recent arrests in Australia I don't see why this wouldn't be), then have a sinking feeling that this isn't going to end well.

[mongrel]

Source

Ya, I guess it is 70% sure be an Islamist attack, the more important thing is whether it is done by lone wolf or through some organization.

I think it is safe to bump that up to 100% and to suggest that is linked entirely to the goings on in Syria. It will test Australia's no ransom policy for sure.

[YukonTrooper]

Maybe Australia should supply the ground troops for the fight against IS and eventually Assad. They haven't carried enough weight in the West's fight against terrorism. Time for Oz to step up.

[hellheaven1987]

I think it is safe to bump that up to 100% and to suggest that is linked entirely to the goings on in Syria.

Well, it is all too soon to tell; perhaps someone wants to act like it is Islamist, who knows.

[Copperknickers II]

I think it is safe to bump that up to 100% and to suggest that is linked entirely to the goings on in Syria. It will test Australia's no ransom policy for sure.

I don't think so, on either of those points. The recent attack in Canada had all the hallmarks of an Islamist attack, but it wasn't really, at least not in a meaningful sense. It was a disenfranchised man who was venting his anger and decided to do so in the name of Islamism.

The flag, and the rather professional execution of the attack, would seem to state otherwise here, but it could still be a lone wolf with no meaningful association with Islamist organisations. And as for the ransom... I highly doubt money is a major concern here. They've made no attempt to ask for it as far as we can tell.


EDIT: breaking news: probably only 1 assailant, almost certainly no other connected events, according to the police statement. The flag is probably Islamist, but not Islamic State.

There is also a possibility that the gunman has been caught on camera. He seems to be a large middle aged Arab/South Asian gentleman armed with a pistol.

[SLN445]

Hopefully everybody comes out ok.

[Ecthelion]

The religion of peace has culturally enriched again.

I think it's time for our hippie Pope to call forth a new Crusade. The entire American South will answer the call; this will be their "happening". We don't even need a supply train, the "preppers" can just bring all their cans for spam and water purification tablets.

Deus Vult people, Deus Vult.

[Copperknickers II]

The religion of peace has culturally enriched again.

I think it's time for our hippie Pope to call forth a new Crusade. The entire American South will answer the call; this will be their "happening". We don't even need a supply train, the "preppers" can just bring all their cans for spam and water purification tablets.

Deus Vult people, Deus Vult.

A Crusade.... to Australia? Right, the infidel Islamists of Sydney must be massacred. All 1 of them.

[Phier]

The religion of peace has culturally enriched again.

I think it's time for our hippie Pope to call forth a new Crusade. The entire American South will answer the call; this will be their "happening". We don't even need a supply train, the "preppers" can just bring all their cans for spam and water purification tablets.

Deus Vult people, Deus Vult.

Copperknickers missed the joke, such as it was, but ...

[Roma_Victrix]

Maybe Australia should supply the ground troops for the fight against IS and eventually Assad. They haven't carried enough weight in the West's fight against terrorism. Time for Oz to step up.

According to this site, there have been 41 Australian servicemen who died in Afghanistan, 2 in Iraq, but these numbers do not count the Australian veterans who returned home and, due to crippling PTSD, committed suicide like a lot of American soldiers. I think everyone has suffered enough, thank you very much. I'm quite content with bombing the daylights out of ISIS from the air via drones and fighter jets, while the Iraqi, Syrian, and Kurdish forces duke it out with ISIS fighters on the streets and in the open fields. Let the locals do the ground fighting. It is not our responsibility to drain our resources to fight their civil war. Isn't $6 trillion from the US treasury (of taxpayer's money) enough money drained into these wars already? It's costly enough to drop bombs on their heads; each one of those warheads is enormously expensive. Even more expensive, apparently, is the US Navy's new laser canon (check that out via Google if you haven't already).

[AqD]

Just a few months or years ago the Australian government started to extend coverage of spying on their own citizens. Did they know it's coming? Or it's coming now because their outrageous project is facing criticism and they need something real to scare everyone?

Either way, their spying network obviously sucks and their police seems untrained to deal with the kind of situation. They could have immediately gassed and stun everyone in cafe and finish this in few minutes, assuming no bomb is activated.

[PointOfViewGun]

I find it suspect that the assailant haven't contacted the cops yet. What's a terror plot without a manifesto?

[IZob]

Just a few months or years ago the Australian government started to extend coverage of spying on their own citizens. Did they know it's coming? Or it's coming now because their outrageous project is facing criticism and they need something real to scare everyone?

Either way, their spying network obviously sucks and their police seems untrained to deal with the kind of situation. They could have immediately gassed and stun everyone in cafe and finish this in few minutes, assuming no bomb is activated.

[TheDarkKnight]

It is incredibly sad that people have to be told NOT to tweet or otherwise show what the police are doing across social media.

Are people really that dense to not understand that whoever is doing this can probably access social media and ascertain what the police are planning?

[IZob]

Thats probably part of the reason why the police evacuate the surrounding blocks.

[Niles Crane]

Lol at everyone saying this situation could have been resolved in a few minutes like it's some action movie.

Maybe Australia should supply the ground troops for the fight against IS and eventually Assad. They haven't carried enough weight in the West's fight against terrorism. Time for Oz to step up.

Yeah, it's not like we've supported the US against terrorism since 2001. Do you exist in some alternate universe where the last 13 years is something that hasn't happened?

[mongrel]

According to this site, there have been 41 Australian servicemen who died in Afghanistan, 2 in Iraq, but these numbers do not count the Australian veterans who returned home and, due to crippling PTSD, committed suicide like a lot of American soldiers. I think everyone has suffered enough, thank you very much. I'm quite content with bombing the daylights out of ISIS from the air via drones and fighter jets, while the Iraqi, Syrian, and Kurdish forces duke it out with ISIS fighters on the streets and in the open fields. Let the locals do the ground fighting. It is not our responsibility to drain our resources to fight their civil war. Isn't $6 trillion from the US treasury (of taxpayer's money) enough money drained into these wars already? It's costly enough to drop bombs on their heads; each one of those warheads is enormously expensive. Even more expensive, apparently, is the US Navy's new laser canon (check that out via Google if you haven't already).

NATO policy on the whole region is totally messed up. It's governments want to wage war against Assad but can't. We are bombing some of his enemies and not others. People can freely join Kurdish militia, but not anti Assad or pro-Assad militia, or indeed cannot offer any form of aid to either side without risk of imprisonment /rendition. ISIS has spilled into Iraq, that would clearly make them enemy combatants. But I have not seen a coherent argument as to why we can be asked about any random group targeting the forces of a dictatator who our governments believe should be removed. Now we have frustrated wannabes using this chaos, and the media storm around this as an excuse to make a name for themselves.

Yeah, it's not like we've supported the US against terrorism since 2001. Do you exist in some alternate universe where the last 13 years is something that hasn't happened?

True. I am surprised anyone thinks otherwise.

[Påsan]

Just a few months or years ago the Australian government started to extend coverage of spying on their own citizens. Did they know it's coming? Or it's coming now because their outrageous project is facing criticism and they need something real to scare everyone?

Either way, their spying network obviously sucks and their police seems untrained to deal with the kind of situation. They could have immediately gassed and stun everyone in cafe and finish this in few minutes, assuming no bomb is activated.

So you're assuming this is a government ploy and you think the police should have gassed everyone in the cafe.


1: Why would you assume a government plot over a misguided Islamist? Seriously why?

2:What makes you qualified to say what the police should have done in this situation?

[Caligula's_Horse]

Looks like some Jihadist wannabe that watched too much news and maybe got kicked in the head by a Kangaroo as a child.

Chances are the whole mess will be over in a few hours, with SWAT teams moving in and giving him lead poisoning. I doubt the Australian government is dumb enough to give into any ransom or other demands when they have the building surrounded by gunmen.