Sydney police have ended a 16-hour long hostage crisis by storming a cafe where dozens of hostages were being held by a madman.
Above, NBC News video.
Gawker offered this account of the gunman some describe as a terrorist:
Police have identified the man behind the on-going siege in Sydney as Man Haron Monis, a self-proclaimed cleric and former “spiritual healer” granted political asylum in Australia from Iran. Monis was recently charged with 50 counts of indecent exposure and sexual assault, and as an accessory to the murder of his ex-wife, who was stabbed and lit on fire in Sydney last year. He was also convicted of sending offensive letters to the family members of dead Australian soldiers.
More details and images via Twitter:
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UPDATE:
BREAKING NEWS: A THIRD PERSON HAS DIED AFTER THE SIEGE IN SYDNEY. 7 NEWS
— PzFeed Top News (@PzFeed) December 15, 2014
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Image: Screenshot NBC News