Terrorist Attack Sydney

[MIKA27]

Been watching this most of the day, been uneventful, in that the police department are still yet to make any contact with the hostage taker.... what's the plan!?

One guy running out of fire door a short while ago, looks safe, I'm assuming he's a Lindt employee being with a brown apron?

[zathan]

I hope everyone walks away safely, this is unsettling.

[baragh]

Stay safe, Will!

Hopefully this will all be over soon and the nutjobs don't do anybody any harm.

Cheers. Got given the all clear about 30 mins ago. Anyone else still around, stay safe!

[LordAnubis]

All too much of this happening in the world, and now in Sydney too! Prayers for those who are inside that they return home unharmed. I wonder what the flag thing says? Can't see any good enough photos to be able to read it.

EDIT: From one of the photos it looks an ornamental flag that dedifinitely says Allah repeatedly in Arabic calligraphy. Based on this I would say the flag says "La ilaha Il Allah, Mohammed Ur Rasool Allah" which means "There is only one god Allah, and Mohammed is the messenger of Allah"

That is a common artistic piece that would be found in the house of most muslims. Certainly has no relation to a terrorist organisation. Interesting how there are no clear images of the sign, and the only clear one has a channel seven watermark across most of it making it hard to read.

[stigmata]

Well a single guy... who wants to make a statement .... hes muslim this time.. but it happens every day in every nation in every class ..and every religion.

Hopefully it all finishes up and everybody gets to go home except for the guy that created all this mess who hopefully has his day in front of the courts and the justice system a few hundred meters up the road.

[Duxnutz]

No conspiracy mus.

http://www.smh.com.au/national/flag-being-held-by-lindt-chocolat-cafe-hostages-is-not-an-islamic-state-flag-20141215-1279s0.html

[Sophistic]

the guy has demanded an isis flag...motive is pretty clear

[PaulP]

Well a single guy... who wants to make a statement .... hes muslim this time.. but it happens every day in every nation in every class ..and every religion.

No it doesn't. Where did a Buddhist take hostages today?

[baragh]

Been watching this most of the day, been uneventful, in that the police department are still yet to make any contact with the hostage taker.... what's the plan!?

One guy running out of fire door a short while ago, looks safe, I'm assuming he's a Lindt employee being with a brown apron?

I suspect there's a lot going on the background, they're just not allowed to report just yet for safety reasons.

[El Presidente]

let it play out.

There are a lot of families tonight in Sydney wondering if they will see their loved ones again. That is where our thoughts should be.

[stigmata]

No it doesn't. Where did a Buddhist take hostages today?

Pretty sure somewhere in the world.

Remember the biggest case of terror in Australia in recent years was by a Anglo Australian

Martyn Bryant at Port Arthur 35 dead.

Youre trivialising terror.

[Sophistic]

its always interesting how people react to something like this. this shouldnt change your view on muslims in general, there is noch such thing as a muslim or a christian anyway, considering how different religious people interpret their holy book(s). but its also nonsense to not acknowledge that the majority of religiously motivated violence is islamic or that religious fascism (christian, islamic, jewish, whatever) has nothing to do with the content of the torah, bible, quran...

[OleOle]

Well, glad the day is over. Bit of a stress in Sydney, glad my other half is home now, she was in lockdown just around the corner from the incident.

People are quick to say it's not about religion, so the obvious question is why do the perpetrators hoist a flag associated with their faith? (rhetorical, I don't need your answers and I'm not being combative).

Prayers to all involved still in the Lindt Cafe. Darkness is falling in here in Sydneytown, hopefully this ends peacefully for everyone.

[LordAnubis]

No it doesn't. Where did a Buddhist take hostages today?

Myanmar. Though, just like you can't call this individual muslim, one can not call the people massacring muslims Budhists.

its always interesting how people react to something like this. this shouldnt change your view on muslims in general, there is noch such thing as a muslim or a christian anyway, considering how different religious people interpret their holy book(s). but its also nonsense to not acknowledge that the majority of religiously motivated violence is islamic or that religious fascism (christian, islamic, jewish, whatever) has nothing to do with the content of the torah, bible, quran...

Excellent post.

There are mental people everywhere. Islam is no different. These people do not represent Islam or Christianity or Hinduism, they represent people who want to others. That is all.

[First Lady]

There is a wonderful thing happening in Sydney and all around Australia at the moment, there is a hashtag #iwillridewithyou on Twitter. it is offering people in religious attire company while they are riding public transport so they will not be picked on by narrow minded people who think everyone of one religion are the same. I find this absolutely wonderful

I hope for a peaceful outcome and my thoughts are with the family of those being held hostage

[stigmata]

does it make any difference if its a flag about someone and a religious flag..

or a guy in the usa that kills his office block.because he was sacked???

or someone that operates a drone and blows up a wedding party in pakistan??

or someone else who napalms a village in vietnam because theyre suspected communists?

or shoots/chokes a non armed coloured man ???

or a guy who throws his children of a bridge in melbourne?

i suppose to some people it does....

to the victims its all terror..

[CaptainQuintero]

There's reports of the smart phone taxi company Uber charging $100 Aus for each fare out of the area.

Th company has said it was to encourage drivers to go work during the situation and not to capitalise on the desperate people in the situation.

I know what I think, when something like this happens you help people because the need help, you don't think of profits. I would think moat people wouldn't even think of charging anyone when getting them away from the area.

[OleOle]

There's reports of the smart phone taxi company Uber charging $100 Aus for each fare out of the area.

Th company has said it was to encourage drivers to go work during the situation and not to capitalise on the desperate people in the situation.

I know what I think, when something like this happens you help people because the need help, you don't think of profits. I would think moat people wouldn't even think of charging anyone when getting them away from the area.

Yeah, it wasn't just Uber taxi drivers. Standard taxi drivers were also apparently overcharging to get out of the city. I know someone who was asked for $200 to get out of the centre of town in the early afternoon. Sheesh.

[Fuzz AI]

There's reports of the smart phone taxi company Uber charging $100 Aus for each fare out of the area.

Th company has said it was to encourage drivers to go work during the situation and not to capitalise on the desperate people in the situation.

I know what I think, when something like this happens you help people because the need help, you don't think of profits. I would think moat people wouldn't even think of charging anyone when getting them away from the area.

Actually it was $145 to $185 for a trip from the CBD to the airport (normally $60), with a minimum charge of $100 to leave the area. After the backlash, Uber came out and said it would be refunding the rides and offering free rides to leave the CBD.

Uber can go bugger off with their gouging, my apologies they call it, "surge pricing".

[baragh]

There's reports of the smart phone taxi company Uber charging $100 Aus for each fare out of the area.

Th company has said it was to encourage drivers to go work during the situation and not to capitalise on the desperate people in the situation.

I know what I think, when something like this happens you help people because the need help, you don't think of profits. I would think moat people wouldn't even think of charging anyone when getting them away from the area.

That was only briefly as the prices are automatically set by their algorithm, they actually kept paying the drivers at the $100+ rates but Uber is footing the bill

https://twitter.com/bengrubb/status/544335986197426176

[Duxnutz]

Crikey. I live in the Inner West, I'd have gladly come and picked anyone up!

[DoubleDD]

This guy isn't too bright but we know that already. He keeps walking to the window directing the hostages. I'm willing to think that if Australian police are anything like police in the US, if he keeps giving them a perfect sight picture he may not be with us for too much longer.

[TheFullMontecristo]

Its over apparently with one dead gunman. I heard Auzzie SAS were brought in, and you know its over when those dudes arrive.

[Trevor2118]

Two Hostages Dead. Several wounded.

[jdo2110]

Two Hostages Dead. Several wounded.

Terrible : (

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