Sydney hostage crisis: Australia PM lays flowers at memorial for victims

Sydney: Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has laid flowers at a makeshift memorial in Sydney for the victims of a central city cafe siege which left three people dead. Abbott laid a bouquet of white flowers at the memorial in Martin Place while his wife Margie laid a bouquet of red flowers. Abbott also wrote a message and waved at the crowd but did not address them. [caption id=“attachment_1851817” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Women offer flowers at a makeshift memorial in Sydney, Australia. AP[/caption] Hundreds of people have been leaving flowers at the memorial. A gunman took 17 hostages Monday at the Lindt Chocolat Cafe. The siege ended 16 hours later in a barrage of gunfire that left two hostages and the Iranian-born gunman dead, and a nation that has long prided itself on its peace rocked to its core. Associated Press