Hostages holding Islamic flags with Muhammad written on it: 10 facts about Sydney crisis

Sydney has encountered a hostage situation in which dozens of people are  trapped inside a cafe and it is being suspected that there could be more than one gunman holding them captive.  Some of the hostages could be seen pressed against a glass window in the Lindt Cafe with their arms up. Some could be seen holding up an Islamic flag. New South Wales state police said they were dealing with “an armed incident,” and said they were trying to make contact with people inside the Lindt Chocolat Cafe in Sydney. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Tony Abbott said the incident could be ‘politically motivated’. Here’s what we know about the hostage crisis in Sydney: * There’s an ongoing police operation around the cafe and the nearby area has been evacuated. Police helicopters are operating in the area. [caption id=“attachment_1849641” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Armed police stand at the ready close to a cafe under siege at Martin Place in the central business district of Sydney, Australia. AP[/caption] * Television footage shot through the cafe’s windows showed several people with their arms in the air and hands pressed against the glass, and two people holding up what appeared to be a black flag with white Arabic writing on it. * Zain Ali, the head of the Islamic Studies Research Unit at the University of Auckland, said it was difficult to read the message because media images showed only the lower part of the flag. But he believed it was the Shahada, or declaration of faith, largely because a black flag with white writing in a contemporary context often contains that message. He said he could make out the word “Muhammad.” Ali said the Shahada translates as “There is no deity of worship except God (Allah), and Muhammad is the messenger of God.”

* A police spokeswoman said no injuries had been reported from the incident. Heavily armed officers were lined up outside the cafe, and a man with a backpack inside the cafe could be seen walking back and forth in front of the glass doors. *The cafe is located in Martin Place, a plaza in the heart of the city’s financial and shopping district that is packed with holiday shoppers this time of year. It is home to the state premier’s office, the Reserve Bank of Australia, and the headquarters of two of the nation’s largest banks. The state parliament house is a few blocks away. *The New South Wales Police have issued a statement saying that a number of streets in the area have been closed, as has the Martin Place train station. They directed people to stay indoors and away from windows if they are in “the area encompassing Hunter, George, Elizabeth and Macquarie streets bordering Martin Place.” The Sydney Opera house has been evacuated as well. *Prime Minister Tony Abbot has released a statement saying that the National Security Committee of Cabinet has convened for briefings on the situation. Prime Minister Abbott gave a brief televised address and said that the hostage-takers’ motivation was still unknown, however it may be ‘politically motivated.’ He urged Australians to continue their normal lives as much as possible: “The whole point of politically motivated violence is to scare people out of being themselves. Australia is a peaceful, open, and generous society. Nothing should ever change that, and that’s why I would urge all Australians today to go about their business as usual.” *According to reports, there may be 10 staff and up to 30 customers held inside the Lindt Chocolate Café in Martin Place. Most reports are saying the hostage takers have guns, and there’ve been some reports of a bomb. Police in Sydney begin evacuating people from the building, however, no one from inside the cafe has been rescued yet. * Here’s what the NSW police commissioner said in a press briefing: “There is one gunman involved an an undisclosed number of hostages. The situation has been contained. We have not been able yet to get in touch with the attacker. New South Wales Police have been in attendance and have controlled the situation. We are continuing to secure and do all we can to bring this to a peaceful outcome. We will do all we can to ensure that. We are doing everything we can to resolve it. Our police officers are well trained.” * According to Mashable report, Uber is reportedly charging its users in downtown Sydney a minimum $100, a result of surge pricing introduced in the midst of an armed hostage crisis. The company is reportedly charging up to four-times the normal rate because “demand is off the charts”.