Police storm in Sydney cafe to end hostage siege, three dead

Authorities have not publicly identified shot, but a source in the police named him as a man Haron Monis, Iranian refugees and self-styled Sheikh, famous for sending mail hatred for families of Australian troops killed in Afghanistan. He was charged last year with complicity in the murder of his ex-wife, but was released on bail.

During the siege, several videos were posted on social media, perhaps showing the hostages inside Lindt cafe in the central business district of Sydney submission of claims on behalf of Monis.

Action, which hostages called "brother" and demanded to speak to Prime Minister Tony Abbott, supplying Islamic state flag, and the media to broadcast that Australia was under attack by an Islamic state.

Abbott told reporters the man was well known to the authorities, had a history of mental instability and extremism, and was aimed at innocent people.

"It was decent, good people who were going about their everyday life ... who went sick imagination deeply disturbed man," said Abbott victims.

Police are investigating Were killed two hostages bandit or died in a shootout, said Andrew Scipio, police commissioner for the state of New South Wales.

Around 2 am local time (1500 GMT Monday), at least six people were probably held captive in a cafe in Sydney managed to escape after shots were heard from inside.

Then the police arrived, with heavy gunfire and explosions from grenades echoed noise from the building.

"They made the call because they believed at the time, if not included would be far more people have lost," said Scipio reporters before dawn.

Store manager, lawyer killed

Police said 50-year-old is believed to have been killed by an intruder. Television images showed that he seemed to have been armed with edged.

With a guy aged 34 and 38-year-old woman were killed, police said. The man was manager of the cafe, and the woman was his mother and lawyer, said the Sydney media.

At least four were wounded, including a policeman hit in the face Fraction. Among the wounded was 75-year-old woman who was shot in the shoulder, police said. Two pregnant women who were among the hostages were taken to hospital for evaluation. All were in stable condition.

Doctors tried to revive at least one person after the raid, said witness Reuters. Members Bomb Squad moved in search of explosives, but none were found.

So far, 17 hostages were taken into account, including at least five that were released or escaped on Monday.

The area around the cafe was surrounded with police tape throughout Tuesday.

Office workers standing in long queues outside flower shops, hundreds of bouquets formed a temporary temple near the cafe, while flags flew half mast to nationwide.

Abbott and his wife also laid wreaths at the site and signed a condolence book opened to the public. Memorial service held at St Mary's Cathedral, barely block from where the siege unfolded.

From Australia to the land after the siege, the Foreign Ministry building in the capital, Canberra, briefly evacuated on Tuesday after a suspicious package was found in the dining room, police said. It was found that backpack employee.

Leaders from around the world have expressed their concern about the siege, including Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada, who has been an attack on members of parliament in connection with suspected jihadist sympathizer in October.

No links to terrorist groups

Monis was convicted in 2012 of sending a letter threatening the families of eight Australian soldiers killed in Afghanistan in protest against the participation of Australia's no. He was also facing more than 40 charges of sexual assault.

Abbott and staff safety wonder why he was not in custody or control more carefully. "That is a question that members of the public have the right to ask ... how can someone who has had such a long and complex history not to be relevant checklists and be fully in society as a whole," said Abbott.

New South Wales Premier Mike Baird said recently changed the laws regarding the conditions of bail in such cases were examined in the light of the siege.

US security services said that the US government is now Australia recommended that there was no indication at this stage that the attacker was associated with known terrorist organizations.

Although the hostage taking was known power, security experts said it was difficult to prevent attacks from people acting alone.

Australia, a staunch ally of the United States and their escalation action against the Islamic state in Syria and Iraq, was in a state of high alert for attacks homegrown militants who have returned from fighting in the Middle East and their supporters.

News footage showed the hostages in the cafe raising black and white banner with the shahada, the declaration of faith in Islam. Banner was popular among Sunni Islamist militants groups such as the Islamic state and al-Qaeda.

In September anti-terrorist police said they foiled a direct threat to behead a random member of the public, and days in Melbourne teenager was shot dead after attack by two counter-terrorism officers with a knife.

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