So theres no training behind this. Theres no standard attack in any of this. So, actually, we can see it going any way. But i think the i think the longer it goes on without violence the more likely there wont be any. Welcome back, everybody. Im john vause at the cnn center. Im natalie allen. Thank you for joining us. Weve been here several hours with this breaking news out of australia. And we will continue to bring you the latest now. And wed like to welcome our viewers in the United States and all around the world. Wed like to give you the update now. A gunman is Still Holding an unknown number of people at a lindt coffee shop in sydneys Main Business district. Sky News Australia reports that the Hostage Taker, seen here, is calling himself the brother. He has forced hostages to speak with three Media Outlets over the phone. He apparently has two demands. He wants an isis flag. He also wants a conversation with australias Prime Minister. We also have video of five hostages who manag
so there s no training behind this. there s no standard attack in any of this. so, actually, we can see it going any way. but i think the i think the longer it goes on without violence the more likely there won t be any. welcome back, everybody. i m john vause at the cnn center. i m natalie allen. thank you for joining us. we ve been here several hours with this breaking news out of australia. and we will continue to bring you the latest now. and we d like to welcome our viewers in the united states and all around the world. we d like to give you the update now. a gunman is still holding an unknown number of people at a lindt coffee shop in sydney s main business district. sky news australia reports that the hostage taker, seen here, is calling himself the brother. he has forced hostages to speak with three media outlets over the phone. he apparently has two demands.
actually walk into a cafe in the middle of the city armed with a gun with other weapons is frightening because it doesn t happen, as you say. and the last time that we really, you know, i guess felt the impact of terrorism other than it happening to australians overseas was in bali back in 2002, when there were the bombings and there were 88 australians that were killed in that attack. but it s another thing for it to be unfolding here on the streets of sydney. australia clearly involved in the war against isis. hundreds of troops over in iraq helping to train the kurdish and iraqi forces. we have australian fighter jets involved in the aggressive air campaign. threats have been made against australia. threats have been made against martin place in recent weeks. but as i say, for this to be
with an australian with an australian tinge. that s what we know. and we ve also been told police know who they re dealing with, but they re not letting us know that. earlier we spoke with roger shanahan. he s a former australian army colonel. he s a middle east expert and a fellow at the middle east center for policy. he thinks the hostage taker chose his location for maximum international impact. here s his comments. it s going to be very difficult obviously to determine what the whole purpose of this was until we find out more about the hostage taker, but i think the fact that the cafe in question is directly opposite one of the major television stations in sydney, it s done right in nearly the dead center of australia s largest city in the central business district, all of these point to the fact that the person in question wanted maximum exposure not only nationally but internationally. and putting up that flag with
i ve just come off a nine-hour shift. i normally do nine till midday. and we kept going because i made contact with the hostages. they found my program. obviously i didn t want to put them to air, so i took their calls off air. and at the same time could hear the hostage taker giving the young man who spoke to me, a 23-year-old, instructions on what he wanted to do. what s now been revealed by your reporter and others, that he wanted the i.c.e. flag, he wanted a conversation with the prime minister or he d start to dispose of hostages. i spoke to our police commissioner, our police chief, the equivalent here in new south wales where sydney is the capital, and spoke to him, spoke to our premier, which is a bit like your governor. and they told me off air it would be best if we didn t report those matters. i kept in contact with the young man. he gave me his mobile. and we had four conversations off air. between about midday and 3:00. and then i felt troubled by his tone. so i asked th