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
well, basically, that line of communication opened up quite early is this morning. one of the men from inside the building, the lindt cafe, actually called one of our announcers on air, and they took a conversation off air. it was decided it was not really appropriate for that conversation to be going on air, a lot of sensitive information. and basically, it was identified that he was a hostage inside and that he wanted to speak to prime minister tony abbott live on air, a live on-air interview. now, of course that demand was not met. negotiators have been to that 2gb radio station all day. we ve been fielding a lot of calls from people inside the building, from family members of people inside the building. who are just listening to this ordeal i guess play out on the radio. so let s get this straight. so people inside that cafe, inside that coffee shop, have had the ability to get on their cell phones and just call in
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
reports. throughout this ordeal five hostages, you re about to see the first three, managed to get out. three men running out right there. two people who were just visiting the coffee shop and then an employee of the coffee shop comes out of another door. not the one that police that you see there standing behind. suddenly the door just bangs open and he comes out running. we believe the guy who comes out is in fact one of the workers because there s a combination of workers and customers who are being held hostage. and there he is. that was many, many hours ago. and of course they were debriefed by police after they got out. two women, here s the first one. also ran out a short time later. all five hostages reportedly escaped. that s not coming from the police. that s coming from other reports from the cafe. they were not released. what is not clear, almost ten
was being held inside the cafe there. and then he relayed what the guy with the gun was saying. he told you and you responded and he said it to the gunman? i could hear the gunman. well, first of all, we were a bit skeptical, as you would be, getting a phone call to your open line saying i m a hostage. can i talk to ray on air. and so i made an editorial decision that i wouldn t talk to him on air because i was fearful that i may have been duped or that i might put people at risk. so i came off air during a three-minute commercial break and spoke to the young man. i thn rang him back and confirmed he was in fact a hostage. i spoke to police and they had a list of some hostages and his name was one of the hostages. his name was given to me by the young man. i was talking to him and in the background i could hear the hostage taker issue instructions about wanting to talk to the prime minister, calling me a scumbag, calling the media generally scumbags for incorrectly reporting isil as