#SydneySiege: 3 Dead, Including Gunman, Following Police Raid

Sydney residents have begun to pay tribute to the hostages killed in the violent end to the standoff, laying flowers near the site of the siege.

The standoff came to an end around 2:00 AM local time.  

Police confirmed that 17 hostages were held inside the Lindt cafe in the Martin Place area of downtown. An Islamic banner was hung in the window.  

Three people were killed, including the gunman.  The victims have been identified as a 34-year-old man and a 38-year-old woman. The attacker, identified as self-styled Iranian cleric Man Haron Monis, reportedly killed one of the hostages before being taken out by police and special forces.

"The perpetrator was well known to both state and commonwealth authorities," Prime Minister Tony Abbott told reporters. "He had a long history of violent crime, infatuation with extremism and mental instability."

"These events do demonstrate that even a country as free, as open, as generous and as safe as ours is vulnerable to acts of politically motivated violence," Abbott said.

Police have confirmed that Monis was killed. Six of the hostages were unscathed, with as many as 11 being treated for injuries. At least three people are reportedly injured seriously. One police officer is also being treated in a hospital, for a gunshot wound to the face.

"Many questions that will come out in the coming days," said New South Wales state police Commissioner Andrew Scipione, giving few details about the case. "We will not compromise this investigation."

Scipione said more information about the incident would be forthcoming "when we are sure it is accurate."

The event comes as Australia is backing the US-­led military action against ISIL, though there is no confirmation that the perpetrator in Sydney was related to the Islamic group. According to reports, the hostage taker had requested an ISIL flag to be delivered to the cafe, in exchange for the release of one hostage.

11:08 ET: One of the three reported to be seriously injured is a police officer

10:49 ET: Police confirm Sydney siege is over 

10:46 ET: Several hostages rushed to trauma units in nearby hospitals. Some reports say at least two people have died and three are in critical condition

10:22 ET: Some hostages carried out by paramedics, others walk away on their own

10:19 ET: Police confirm using live ammunition during Lindt cafe raid

10:16 ET: Police storm Lindt Cafe amid reports of gun fire 

10:07 ET: Loud bangs heard in Martin Place, reports of shots fired

10:04 ET: Hostages seen running from Lindt Cafe

09:28 ET: Monis was also charged in 2009 with sending menacing letters to families of Australian soldiers killed in action in Afghanistan

09:01 ET: Suspected gunman has long rap sheet, has previously been charged with a number of sexual assaults and is currently said to be on bail for involvement in the murder of his wife. 

08:56 ET: Gunman's name is Man Haron Monis, he allegedly falsely represented himself as a cleric. 

08:54 ET: Police give media the go-ahead to name the suspected gunman; he has been revealed as an Iranian refugee. 

07:18 ET: Sydney siege enters its 14th hour as families of hostages still inside Lindt Cafe pray for their safe return

06:59 ET: US Consulate in Sydney will remain closed to the public on Tuesday "because of ongoing police operation around Martin Place"

06:23 ET: #Illridewithyou is now the number one trend around the world as people stand united in wake of Sydney siege. 

06:11 ET: Police presence still heavy as Sydney siege enters its twelvth hour

05:26 ET: Australians take to social networks to promote #illridewithyou, a hashtag designed to support the Muslim community who may be fearing for their safety following Sydney's hostage crisis.

04:47 ET: It is not know whether the siege is terrorism-related, but the NSW Police are "operating according to our counter-terrorism procedures" 

04:43 ET: New South Wales Health has confirmed that one of the hostages to emerge from the Lindt cafe siege is being treated in hospital. The man has been taken to St Vincent's Hospital where he is described as being in a satisfactory and stable condition.

04:24 ET: New South Wales Police confirm they are in contact with the gunman, say no hostages have been harmed.

03:58 ET: Lights in the cafe have suddenly gone out, according to reporters on the ground. 

03:37 ET: Local media channels have received a video with one of the hostages narrating the gunman's demands. It will not be published. 

The US evacuated its consulate in Sydney, which is located nearby the Lindt Cafe, and called on all American citizens to maintain 'high level of vigilance." 

Lindt Chocolate Cafe Australia released a statement expressing concern over the incident:

Islamic Banner

A black flag with white text in Arabic could be seen hanging in the cafe's front window. Police confirmed there was a single, armed hostage-taker, and there were reports that he may have been wearing a suicide belt. The Lindt chocolate company, which owns the cafe, said earlier there could have been up to 10 employees and 30 customers held inside.

The entire central Martin Place business district was evacuated and was in lockdown.

PM Speaks

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott met with Australia’s National Security Committee of the Cabinet. The hostage­taker demanded to speak directly to the Prime Minister. 

“We don’t yet know the motivation of the perpetrator. We don’t know whether this is politically motivated, although obviously there are some indications it could be. We have to appreciate that even in a society such as ours, there are people who would wish to do us harm,” Abbott said.  He also urged for all Sydney residents not in the Martin Place area to go about their business as usual.

“Arms Against The Window”

A cafe employee, whose shift was about to start, told RT: “I walked up to the door and everyone was sitting down. The door was locked, which is pretty weird because it’s never locked. There was one guy walking around with a hat and a beard. He was just walking around. That’s when the police showed up. That’s when everyone inside put their arms against the window.”

Declaration of Faith

Reports in Australian media said young women in the cafe were being used as a shield. Several of the captors were able to contact an Australian radio host and demanded to speak to the Prime Minister live on air, possibly at the demand of the gunman in order to communicate his demands. 

The head of the Islamic Studies Research Unit at the University of Auckland, Zain Ali, said it was difficult to read the message on the banner, because it’s partially obscured.

But he said the flag was probably the Shanhada, the Islamic declaration of faith.

Area Crippled

Hundreds of police officers and dozens of vehicles converged on the Lindt cafe, shuttering the central business district. The area is popular around this time of year with workers, Christmas shoppers and tourists. 

Terror Arrest

An Australian newspaper reported just moments before the hostages were taken that police announced the arrest of a 25-­year ­old man from Sydney in connection with a major terror investigation. Australian Federal Police took the suspect into custody at a home in the city’s suburbs. There is no indication of a link between the two events.