Terror in a Sydney cafè

This image taken from video shows people holding up hands inside a cafe in Sydney, Australia. A gunman took an unknown number of people hostage inside the downtown Sydney chocolate shop and cafe at the height of Monday morning rush hour, with two people inside the cafe seen holding up a flag believed to contain an Islamic declaration of faith.

Police run past a cafe under siege at Martin Place in the central business district of Sydney, Australia. New South Wales state police would not say what was happening inside the cafe or whether hostages were being held. But television footage shot through the cafe's windows showed several people with their arms in the air and hands pressed against the glass.

An armed police officer runs along the street close to a cafe under siege at Martin Place. A hostage situation erupted inside a chocolate shop and cafe in Australia's largest city on Monday, with the nation's prime minister saying it may be "politically motivated." Television footage shot through the cafe's windows showed several people with their arms in the air and hands pressed against the glass, and two people holding up what appeared to be a black flag with white Arabic writing on it.

Armed police officers point as they stand at the ready close to a cafe under siege at Martin Place in Sydney. A gunman took an unknown number of people hostage inside a downtown Sydney chocolate shop and cafe at the height of Monday morning rush hour, with two people inside the cafe seen holding up a flag believed to contain an Islamic declaration of faith.

An armed tactical response police officer grabs a hostage as she runs to flee from a cafe under siege at Martin Place. New South Wales state police would not say what was happening inside the cafe or whether hostages were being held. But television footage shot through the cafe's windows showed several people with their arms in the air.

A hostage runs to armed tactical response police officers for safety after she escaped from a cafe under siege at Martin Place. New South Wales state police would not say what was happening inside the cafe or whether hostages were being held. But television footage shot through the cafe's windows showed several people with their arms in the air.