A 17-hour-long hostage drama in which a lone heavily-armed man of Iranian-origin held 17 people hostage at a cafe in Sydney ended with the police storming it, resulting in three deaths
>Timeline
- › 9.45 am (local time): Unidentified gunman walks into the Lindt Chocolat Café in Sydney’s Martin Place, locks door and captures about nine or 10 café workers and unknown number of customers
- › 10.10 am: TV channels broadcast images of hostages with hands pressed against the window. Two hostages hold black flag with white Arabic script, message appears to be Muslim declaration of faith
- › 10.30 am: Armed police line up outside the shop. Nearby strategic buildings are evacuated
- › 4 pm: Three men escape from a side door
- › 5 pm: Two women café workers run out of the building
- › 2.10 am: Between five and seven hostages flee the café
- › 2.20 am: Armed police enter the café
- › 2.35 am: Siege is over