Hostage-taker named as radical Muslim cleric Sheik Man Haron Monis
Haron Monis assumed the title ‘Sheikh’ after moving to Australia. He has many legal cases pending against him. He was born as Manteghi Bourjerdi in Iran and moved to Australia in 1996.Sheikh Haron Monis has criticized the presence of Australian troops in Afghanistan. He has been convicted of sexually assaulting 7 women.
5 people escape Sydney cafe in hostage crisis
Five people, three men and two women, have fled the Lindt cafe in Martin Place in Sydney.
Indian IT company Infosys said on Monday that one of its employees was among hostages being held at a cafe in Sydney.
Hostage situation politically motivated: PM Tony Abbott
Prime Minister Tony Abbott, who has warned of militant plans to strike Australian targets, said there were indications the hostage situation at the cafe was politically motivated.
“This is a very disturbing incident. I can understand the concerns and anxieties of the Australian people,” Abbott told reporters in Canberra, without providing any information on the siege.
Gunman appears to be in his late 40s to 50s
The gunman appears to be in his late 40s to 50s, wearing a bandanna. TV footage showed.
Muslim groups jointly condemn Sydney siege
More than 40 Australian Muslim groups jointly condemned the siege and the use of the flag, which they said had been hijacked by “misguided individuals that represent no-one but themselves”.
The scene of the drama, Martin Place, is Sydney’s financial centre and houses several prominent buildings, including the New South Wales parliament, the US consulate, the country’s central bank and the Commonwealth Bank of Australia.
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