Image source, AFP PHOTO / CHANNEL SEVEN

Australian news channels have broadcast this image apparently showing the suspected gunman. It is yet to be verified.

@MaryamFadzil in Melbourne tweets, external: Sydney mosque holding multi-faith prayers during maghrib as respond to #sydneysiege

Sky News reporter Chris Kenny, who was in the cafe moments before the attack took place, told the BBC's Newsday programme, external he saw "people up against the windows". They were "face first with their hands in their air," he said. "Just a horrific situation unfolding here."

Earlier, Australia's Muslim community released a joint statement saying it condemned "this criminal act unequivocally". The Australian National Imams Council and the Grand Mufti of Australia said that "such actions are denounced in part and in whole in Islam".

Channel 7 reporter Chris Reason, who can see the cafe, says the lights have just gone off, external inside.

tweets:, external At 8:15pm (09:15GMT) I'll be joining NSW Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione to provide an update on the situation at Martin Place

Police have asked media organisations not to air any of the gunman's demands or what the hostages have told them in calls from the cafe.

BBC Monitoring's Catherine Gusse describes media reaction around the world. She says contributors on television news channels in Iran and China have been speculating about the possible political motives for the attack. Russia's Channel One says "a new epoch may have begun for prosperous Australia, which has been keeping its neutrality for a long time".

Channel 7 reporter Chris Reason, who has a direct line of sight of the cafe, says that when the five hostages escaped, external, the gunman could be seen getting extremely agitated, shouting at remaining hostages

Josh Acton, who works in a building opposite the cafe, told the BBC about the moment the situation unfolded. "All the police cars started to turn up, and undercover police came running at everyone saying 'Clear the area immediately, get out'," he said. "We were in lockdown for most of the day and we've managed to evacuate about an hour ago. Everything is closed off, there's police on every corner and they're doing their best to contain the situation and keep people calm."

Image source, Getty Images

Here's another image of one of the five people who fled the cafe earlier.

Frank Gardner
BBC security correspondent

says the black and white flag displayed by the gunmen in Sydney is similar but not the same as the Islamic State flag, which is a much cruder script. He says this one is essentially the same Arabic inscription from the Koran as that displayed on the Saudi national flag, which uses a green rather than a black background.

Most people on Twitter are urging people to show calm and not target any specific community over the incident, says BBC Monitoring's Vikas Pandey. However, some others have been quick to blame the jihadist group, Islamic State, for the siege.

On social media, the hashtag #sydneysiege is the top global trend on Twitter. Other hashtags like #siege, #MartinPlace are also trending.

tweets:, external BBC's Frank Gardner on #SydneySiege: "This is not a sophisticated siege...the gunman has got the wrong [Islamic] flag" #r4today

Channel 7 reporter Chris Reason, who has a direct line of sight of the cafe, reports, external: "All the hostages now huddled at one end of Lindt Cafe, one is covering the window at that end with an apron." Earlier he saw food being brought out from kitchen by staff and distributed to other hostages.

Twitter users are circulating a screenshot of a woman's Facebook post, where she says she is a hostage, and lists the gunman's demands. The screenshot was purportedly taken by a friend of the woman. Police have said they are monitoring all communication channels.

New South Wales Police tweets, external: Deputy Commissioner Burn: "Our approach is to resolve the situation as peacefully as possible. The priority is the safety of all involved."

Earlier PM Tony Abbott praised the people of Sydney for "the calmness with which they have reacted to this disturbing incident". He said: "We are a free, open and generous people and today we have responded to this in character.... Yes it has been a difficult day. Yes it is a day which has tested us but so far, like Australians in all sorts of situations, we have risen to the challenge."

Zeynep Ertuk in Sydney tweets, external: Sydney CBD is a ghost town, was sent home from work because its so quiet! Hope the #MartinPlaceSiege ends peacefully! #SydneyHostageCrisis