A man is holding several people hostage at Martin Place cafe
22 minutes ago
December 15, 2014 6:25 PM
Five hostages escape Sydney siege cafe
* As many as 30 people being held hostage at Lindt cafe
* Police say at least one gunman involved
* Incident not being treated as terrorism yet
* Motivation of gunman unknown - but police have finally spoken directly with him
* PM Tony Abbott urges calm: “The whole point of politically motivated violence is to scare people.”
HOSTAGES have emerged from the Lindt Cafe in central Sydney where they have been held by a gunman since just before 10am this morning.
Five people have now left the cafe which has been at the centre of a hostage crisis that has paralysed central Sydney and shocked Australia.
Their escape comes after NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Catherine Burn confirmed hostage negotiators were now speaking directly with the gunman.
“Police negotiators have had contact and will continue to have contact,” she said.
Two female Lindt employees ran from the building just before 5pm. Three other hostages, all men, ran from the cafe earlier this afternoon and are now speaking with police.
It was not immediately clear if any of the hostages were released or if they had escaped.
Hostages inside the café have spoken to media outlets. Two hostages have spoken to Sydney radio station 2GB while Ten News is reporting that they have also spoken to two hostages.
At the request of police news.com.au will not reveal details of these conversations.
One of the hostages runs towards police from Lindt cafe in the central business district of Sydney. Picture: AFP Source: AFP
A terrified woman runs from the Lindt Cafe Source: Supplied
A terrified Lindt employee runs to safety Source: Supplied
Two of the first hostages to get away came out of the front door while the third came out of a fire door. All had their arms raised in the air.
Dramatic television images showed the terrified hostages running free from the buiding and being shielded by heavily armed police.
One was a man in a white shirt and blue jacket, another wore a white shirt, while the third was clearly the Lindt cafe worker dressed in black.
David Faktor, spokesman for St Vincent’s Hospital, told news.com.au that they have received “one male patient and he is in a satisfactory condition”. Mr Faktor would not comment on anything else in relation to the man’s condition but said “he is fine”.
The hospital is on standby for anything else that might eventuate from the siege.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott addressed media tonight and praised police and security services for their work.
“I’ve received messages of support from a number of international leaders and I thank them for their encouragement on this difficult day. It has been a difficult day, it has tested us
He added that “like Australians in all situations, we have risen to the challenge”.
A hostage is seen outside the Lindt Cafe, Martin Place. Source: Getty Images
Two hostages run to safety outside the Lindt Cafe. Source: Getty Images
Dramatic scenes outside the Lindt Cafe as hostages run free after six hours of being held captive. Source: Getty Images
The five hostages escape followed reports that as many as 50 people being held by a gunman at the popular cafe. However, when asked this afternoon about the number of hostages NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Catherine Burn said: “That sort of number does not equate to what we are assuming.”
At least one offender took hostages at the popular Lindt chocolate cafe, in Martin Place, just before 10am.
Some members of staff could be seen wearing their shop aprons and standing with their hands up at the windows. There is also a black and white flag being held up in a window. It is believed to be the Black Standard, a flag that has been hijacked by jihadists and Islamists. Hostages have reportedly called Channel 9 news late this afternoon - the second time media outlets have been called by those inside the cafe.
It’s believed hostages have been forced to call the television network.
This morning at least two calls were made to 2GB host Ray Hadley. He later spoke to the mother of an 18-year-old apprentice plumber who texted his mother from inside the cafe.
When she asked him how he was he replied: “I’m okay Mum, I can’t talk”. She hasn’t heard anything since then.
Deputy Commissioner Burn said police had spoken with the gunman for the first time since the siege began.
Her information was that the remaining hostages hadn’t been harmed. She said the gunman’s motivations were not known and it wouldn’t be helpful to “speculate”.
The incident has not been branded a terrorist attack yet, but police have confirmed they have “moved to a footing consistent with a terrorism event” in their response.
NSW Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione earlier told reporters it remained a hostage situation “but we are ready to escalate if we need to”.
They did not have “direct contact” with the hostage-taker.
“We’re working through that - at this stage we’ve not got extensive communications ... We are not dealing directly with him.”
It was not clear what the offender’s motivation was.
Lindt Australia CEO Steve Loane told news.com.au at the scene this morning he believed there are 40 to 50 people inside the cafe, including customers and staff.
Other reports are suggesting there may only be 13 hostages and police have since said they believe there to be fewer than 30 hostages.
Police handcuffed a man 200m from the cafe siege but a police statement has since clarified the arrest was unrelated to the siege.
RELATED: Lindt workers wait for news as hostage situation continues
READ MORE: http://www.news.com.au/national/a-man-is-holding-several-people-hostage-at-martin-place-cafe/story-fncynjr2-1227156241649
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