Hostage Crisis in Sydney

It was reported that a gunman has taken hostages in a cafe in Sydney, Australia. According to reports, “Hundreds of police officers, including snipers, surrounded the Lindt Chocolate Cafe in Sydney’s central business district shortly after the gunman took over the building at 10 a.m. Monday (6 p.m. ET on Sunday).”

According to reports, “Chilling images from Australian media on Monday showed people, believed to be hostages, with their hands pressed against the cafe’s windows. They were holding up a black flag with Arabic writing on it reading, “There is no God but God and Mohammed is the prophet of God.”” 

The person who is holding the hostages is said to be Man Haron Monis, and, in 2013, “he pleaded guilty…to writing letters to Australian service members saying they were “Hitler’s soldiers,” according to Australian media reports” (CNN, 2014).

With regards to this, the CNN article also pointed out that Muslim leaders have condemned the action, as some believe the event may be tied to Monis’ political positions with regards to the situation in Syria. Regarding whether this event is seen as terrorism, “[New South Wales] Commissioner [Andrew] Scipione said that it wasn’t yet clear whether the situation at the cafe was a terrorist event, but that police are on “a footing that would be consistent with a terrorist alert…” (CNN, 2014).

Let us hope that no hostages are harmed during this sad ordeal. It is so unfortunate that an individual would try to make a political point by using civilians. Hopefully the police are able to release those in the cafe without anyone being hurt.