Forensic probe of Sydney's terror-hit cafe underway

Forensic officers of the Sydney police Wednesday began investigating the scene of the 16-hour siege at Lindt Chocolat Cafe where two people, along with an Islamist gunman, were left dead Monday.

The Lindt Chocolat Cafe is located in Martin Place, a busy shopping area in Sydney's financial district.

The gunman, named as Man Haron Monis, had forced some of the hostages to hold up a black Islamic banner at the cafe's window. He had received political asylum in Australia in 1996 and was on bail facing a number of charges, according to BBC.

The officers Wednesday entered the cafe to collect evidence to piece together exactly how two of the hostages and Manis died. Six other people were injured, Xinhua reported.

The work of the forensic officers is crucial to establish what happened in the final moments of the horrifying siege.

The incident involving 17 hostages had literally put the city, and nation, on hold before police stormed the cafe Tuesday at 2.13 a.m.

Barrister Katrina Dawson, 38, and the cafe manager Tori Johnson, 34, died in the final showdown, as did Manis, reportedly shot dead by police.

The forensic team are now at work to define exactly what happened.