Sydney siege: Hostages seen running out of Lindt cafe

Hostages were shown running out of a Sydney cafe at the centre of a siege on Monday, according to Channel 7 live news footage. -- PHOTO: SCREENGRAB FROM CHANNEL 7
Hostages were shown running out of a Sydney cafe at the centre of a siege on Monday, according to Channel 7 live news footage. -- PHOTO: SCREENGRAB FROM CHANNEL 7
A hostage runs towards a police officer outside Lindt cafe, where other hostages are being held, in Martin Place in central Sydney on Dec 15, 2014. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
One of the hostages runs towards police from a cafe in the central business district of Sydney on Dec 15, 2014. -- PHOTO: AFP
Two hostages (left) run for cover behind a policeman (right) during a hostage siege in the central business district of Sydney on Dec 15, 2014. -- PHOTO: AFP

SYDNEY (AFP) - Five people fled a central Sydney cafe Monday where a gunman is holding terrified hostages after displaying an Islamic flag at the window, triggering a lockdown in an area home to government and corporate headquarters.

A square in the heart of the Australian city was evacuated as hundreds of armed police surrounded the Lindt chocolate cafe, where a flag - black with white Arabic writing - was held to a window by customers.

It appears to be the shahada, or profession of faith in Islam, and says: "There is no god but Allah; Mohammed is the Messenger of Allah."

Some six hours into the siege, three men emerged from the popular cafe and ran for their lives, two from the front door and one from an emergency exit. Around an hour later two women also fled.

It was not clear if they escaped or were released.

New South Wales state deputy police commissioner Catherine Burn said negotiators "have had contact and continue to have contact" with the armed person holding the hostages, but they did not know the motivation for the siege.

"We do not have information to suggest that anyone is harmed at this stage," she said, adding that the number of hostages "is not as high as 30" as some reports had suggested.
Australia has been on high alert after the government raised concerns that citizens who have fought alongside jihadists in Iraq and Syria could return home radicalised and capable of carrying out attacks.

State police commissioner Andrew Scipione said "we have not yet confirmed this is a terrorism-related event," despite Prime Minister Tony Abbott convening a national security meeting to deal with the "disturbing" development.

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