BREAKING NEWS: Sydney siege ends with Muslim gunman dead and ‘one hostage killed’ after police and special forces storm cafe with guns and stun grenades
BREAKING NEWS: Dramatic end to Sydney siege as police and special forces storm cafe with guns and stun grenades and four terrified hostages are injured as they run for their lives
A scene of pandemonium erupted in the early hours of the morning just minutes after terrified hostages started emerging from the cafe on their own or in small groups. Police then launched an assault on the building before sending in bomb-disposal robots and anti-terror officers wearing specialist full-body bomb suits over fears the hostage-taker may have planted explosives in the cafe. The dramatic end stage of the siege came as the gunman holding the remaining captives was revealed as a self-proclaimed Islamic cleric Man Haron Monis (inset). Monis is a 49-year-old man living in southwest Sydney, but is originally from Iran and a self-proclaimed sheik, and also sent hate mail to the families of Australian dead soldiers between 2007 and 2009. More here
LIVE STREAM: Police fire into cafe after captives race from building
Police have launched an assault with live rounds after a group of hostages fled from the Lindt cafe building in Sydney, with four people thought to be injured.
Reports suggested two required CPR at the scene.
After nine hours of silence, shortly after 2am the bang of a door alerted heavily armed police to the hostages preparing to run out.
Sydney siege live: Loud explosions heard as police storm Lindt cafe
Updated
Police have stormed the Lindt cafe in Sydney after an intense period of loud explosions or gunshots and flashes of lights.
Several ambulances are on the scene.
Earlier, police identified the man behind the siege as Iranian cleric Man Haron Monis.
Monis has been holding an unknown number of people hostage at the Lindt Chocolat Cafe in Sydney’s Martin Place since Monday morning.
Three people emerged from the building about 4:00pm (AEDT) and they were followed by another two an hour later.
Hostages were earlier seen pressing a black flag with Arabic text against the cafe’s windows.
Monis is on bail for a string of violent offences and has a conviction for sending offensive letters to the families of deceased soldiers.
Read the full story and follow our live blog for updates on the siege, which began about 9:40am (AEDT).
