Armed police were today involved in a terrifying standoff with at least two gunmen who are holed up in a Lindt coffee shop in the centre of the city with a number of hostages.
Reports suggested one of the men (top right) was carrying a shotgun and possibly an explosive device. Witnesses reported seeing staff and customers sobbing as they were forced to hold a black flag - believed to be that of an Islamic extremist group - up against the window (main picture). The text on the flag was partially translated as: 'There is no God but Allah.' TV reports showed a man wearing a black headband with white text on it moving inside the café. The Sydney Opera House has also been evacuated after a suspicious package was found. A Lindt staff member (left) could be seen with her hands held against the window and her eyes closed. The bustling shopping district has been plunged into silence after police shut down the city block and surrounded the building. The terrifying scene comes after recent terror arrests unveiled a plot to target innocent victims in Martin Place, the heart of the Sydney city centre and one of the busiest thoroughfares in Australia.
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