A hostage crisis has ended at a café in
Sydney, Australia, with two people killed and
three others injured, authorities said.
The hostage taker is believed to be among the
dead.
The Iranian-born Man Haron Monis had held
30 people hostage at the Lindt chocolate café
in Sydney, Australia, in the early hours of
Monday.
Early in the siege, hostages were forced to
hold up a black Islamic banner at the
window.
About 16 hours after the abduction, some
hostages were able to escape.
Australian commandos later stormed the
building, detonating stun grenade before
managing to release the hostages.
Mr. Monis is said to have had a criminal past
well known to Australian police.
The 49-year-old received political asylum in
Australia in 1996 and was on bail facing a
number of charges.
In August 2013, Mr. Monis pleaded guilty to
sending offensive letters to families of British
soldiers who fought in Afghanistan at the
Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court.
In 2013, he was also arrested for aiding and
abetting the murder of his ex-wife but was
later released on bail.
Australian Prime Minister, Tony Abbott,
expressed “profound shock” that people were
being “held hostage by an armed person
claiming political motivation”.
New South Wales police later tweeted that the
siege had ended at 02:44 local time (15:44
GMT).
The commandos who stormed the building
were from the Royal Australian Regiment, BBC
security correspondent Frank Gardner said.
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