Siege in Sydney CBD

[pallidin]

Thank God this is over with, though not for the injured innocent victims, of course, as it is not over for them.

And the likely developing PTSD from all surviving victims. What a hell of a thing to go through.

Just glad that the police moved-in before it escalated into something potentially more horrible.

[pallidin]

Does anyone know what the hostage count, victim count, and severity of injuries are?

I heard(?) that there were a total of 14 hostages in the beginning before 5 escaped, leaving 9 before the police raid.

I also heard that the gunman and one hostage were killed, and 4 hostages(of the remaining 9) had to be taken to the hospital.

May they recover well.

[pallidin]

OK, just in...

Police say three people are dead -- including the gunman -- after authorities stormed a Sydney cafe early Tuesday, bringing to a dramatic end a 16-hour standoff in which a jihadist and murder suspect had held 17 hostages in a scene much of the world watched on television.

A 34-year-old man and 38-year-old woman also were among the dead, police said.

Four people were injured in the raid, including a female hostage who was shot in the leg, an official told The Associated Press.

One policeman, who suffered a gunshot wound in the face, is in good condition and is grateful to be alive.

Source: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2014/12/15/sydney-siege-five-hostages-escape-police-contact-gunman/

[Subsonicjourno]

The religion of 'peace' strikes again.

[Space Commander Travis]

The religion of 'peace' strikes again.

Tired old sarcastic cliche strikes again.

[Still Waters]

Apparently the police now know the identity of the man.

"Police say they believe the man who seized hostages is Man Haron Monis - an Iranian-born cleric who has been granted asylum in Australia."

From BBC website

More about him here -

https://uk.news.yaho...21.html#9EUU5oo

[psyche101]

Who knows. Murder is a messy business whether you believe in an afterlife or not.

We know, these animals yell "Alans Snackbar" every time they hurt others. Yes there are sick murderers too who are not inspired by religion but I have seen a great deal of death in the name of Islam in the last decade and it abounds in history. There is most certainly a direct connection.

[Sir Wearer of Hats]

The religion of 'peace' strikes again.

Strange, I didn't see a religion taking people hostage, instead I saw one, rather nasty, man taking people hostage.

You might as well blame the gun he used, or the hat he wore as blame religion. He was a horrible human being by all accounts. He didn't need religion to make him do it, and in fact he's the poster boy for "abusing religion for his own aims".

[Daughter of the Nine Moons]

Strange, I didn't see a religion taking people hostage, instead I saw one, rather nasty, man taking people hostage.

You might as well blame the gun he used, or the hat he wore as blame religion. He was a horrible human being by all accounts. He didn't need religion to make him do it, and in fact he's the poster boy for "abusing religion for his own aims".

^This

[SHaYap]

As along with thus I believe there too should be some lines drawn against the Abuse on Freedom of Speech ~

[+Link of Hyrule]

Only an American could say this:

http://m.smh.com.au/world/sydney-siege-charles-hurt-tells-fox-news-australias-tough-gun-laws-to-blame-for-preventing-selfdefence-20141215-127uxj.html

Tell me, Mr Hurt, how would private gun ownership in our homes have helped this situation one bit?

[Michelle]

Only an American could say this:

http://m.smh.com.au/...215-127uxj.html

Tell me, Mr Hurt, how would private gun ownership in our homes have helped this situation one bit?

Come on...you can't tell me there aren't people "over yonder" that don't keep shotguns loaded 'specially for the occasion. One thing I've learned, from all my years on UM, is that we aren't all that different after all.

Edited December 16, 2014 by Michelle

[psyche101]

And never politics? This couldn't have anything to do with politics, such as one country going with whatever Big Powerful countries do so they remain in the good books of the powerful nation? It's entirely due to completely incomprehensible irrationality? Resorting that default position is really just a way of hiding one's head in the sand and pretending that the things that a country does don't make any difference, and any reactions that it might provoke are entirely due to completely incomprehensible fanaticism.

Sigh*

The "political implications" Tony spoke of refers to the display of the Islamic Flag. This idiot might think he is politically motivated, but lets face it, he does not have the brain power to understand the word "political" It's wanton violence in the name of an imaginary being. Considering how much of a threat he is, I cannot understand why he was walking around a free man. When he penned the poison letters, he should have been arrested and jailed for life or deported and exiled. In that respect, I think our Government and forces let us down, this was an obvious threat that should have been dealt with long ago, but probably was not because of the poor me moderate Muslim who does not want to be targeted for continuing on what is strong inspiration for many people. Political Cåorrectness is probably a factor here.

Edited December 16, 2014 by psyche101

[psyche101]

So does radical politics, and so does plain stupid politics. So too can psychological reasons unique to the individual. Religion can be a very handy shorthand to explain all kinds of behaviors (or rather provide an excuse for not explaining them, since why should we need to bother if we can just describe it all as religious fanaticism?).

That's not what we are dealing with here, we are dealing with another insane idiot bandying around an Islamic flag. Can you take your soapbox to another thread and CT your backside of there while the Australian situation is discussed.

Religion is not Shorthand for mujahid.

[psyche101]

Kill or be killed I guess.

Education can undo the damage religion does.

[psyche101]

I'm not entirely sure he is doing this to scare Australians, sure it is amateurish but he is still getting us angry and when people get angry we lash out. When you think about it is the Australian Muslim community that would normally cop the brunt of retaliation for this kind of act and that retaliation could be used as a rallying call to those normally peaceful Muslims to join the extremist ranks. Fortunately the Muslim community is acting in the best way possible by condemning this guy strait of the bat which is a step in the right direction in my opinion.

I would say the 911 attempt was somewhat amateurish as well, but killed 3,000, Bali was amateurish, these major slaughters are carried out by halfwit scum of the earth, they are all going to be amateurish to some extent.

Who gives a rats about condemning a vile act, hell, who wouldn't?

Of course they will condemn him, what would happen if they did not?

This is the real Political BS associated with the situation, the amount of times I have heard about "peaceful Muslims" condemning that attack and praying for the victims makes me sick, what a bloody advertising ploy.

I really doubt the hostages were Muslim, so why on earth do they give a rodents rectum if the highest Mufti in Australia admits what he has to to remain a human being? What animal would advocate this action? ISIS would, that sort of animal, and that is the face of Islam the average Muslim wants to avoid. And again, are the hostages Muslim? What do they care that some bloody religious nut prays to his own God - for what? Do the hostages believe in Allah?, heck, a personal interpretation of Allah got them into this situation to begin with, the very least they could do is stoop to prying to a Christian God, which might actually matter to some people whose lives are in very peril. A show of personal faith is a load of cobblers, if I get in this situation I'll tell you right now, I want no Muslim Prayers to help me with a Muslim radical thanks, that's just hypocritical I reckon. I'd come out and flip the Lakemba Mufti the bird if I was to get past such a situation. That last thing I would want is that particular faith compounded on me after someone misused it to satisfy a sick urge to hurt others.

I would rather have seen the Sheik from Lakemba get his sorry backside down there on a horn and tell this scum that Islam rejects him, the world rejects him, and Allah will reject him, and his fight is personal and vain. He should have said he was not a Muslim, and Allah rejects him on his personal assurance. And to the man, not some TV camera. That would distance Islam from this situation, or all the Muslims go down and pray at the site in front of the Gunam showing him Islam really does not approve of what he is doing. THAT would impress me, and show a true and peaceful Islam that does what it claim to as the religion of peace.

Another advert for Muslim political correctness, heck, how are people NOT over religion????

I watched the siege on telly until about midnight, and said, if this ends tonight, it will be over in seconds, no need to wait all night for that moment, we will hear about it in the morning. Sadly, he took victims with him. That was the one thing we waited so long to avoid.

Edited December 16, 2014 by psyche101

[psyche101]

oh my lord, don't tell me you also believed everything that your President told you were the reasons for invading Iraq.

This is Australia, Obama has no say here.

[psyche101]

The PM speaks on Sydney siege

David Cameron told LBC this afternoon the Sydney siege was "reminder of the threat we face and the need to be vigilant".

"It demonstrates the challenge we face of Islamist extremism all over the world.

"This is on the other side of the world but it is the sort of thing that could just as well happen here in the UK or in Europe we very much stand with the Australians at their time of need," he said.

"Their time of need"? What do they need from you, mr. C? A helping of pointless Churchillian rhetoric?

All the TV stuff was rhetoric, the amount of times they stated "top negotiators are working on the case" was just ridiculous. We knew negotiations went on, he spoke to Tony and all of a sudden snipers were pulled from their positions.

Nice guy eh?

And we let people like this into the country.

Which is why political correctness does not work.

[Sir Wearer of Hats]

I would rather have seen the Sheik from Lakemba get his sorry backside down there on a horn and tell this scum that Islam rejects him, the world rejects him, and Allah will reject him, and his fight is personal and vain.

Lakemba? Insert Obi-Wan's comment about Mos Eisley here.....

[pallidin]

Yeah, I guess from the recent reports that the police and the Australian special forces heard 1-2 gunshots within the café, and quickly determined that a forced entry and deadly intervention was immediately necessary.

[+Link of Hyrule]

Come on...you can't tell me there aren't people "over yonder" that don't keep shotguns loaded 'specially for the occasion. One thing I've learned, from all my years on UM, is that we aren't all that different after all.

I'm not saying they aren't. What I'm saying is that this commentator is dumb to suggest that the tragedy could have been averted with gun laws like the US. Unless he isn't saying that and he's just using a horrible incident like this to lobby for gun ownership (fear tactic- What if this Muslim broke into YOUR home with a shotgun? Wouldn't you feel so much safer owning a firearm that's kept in your bedroom drawer). Either way it's dumb, sick, twisted, and illogical to boot.

[+Link of Hyrule]

the amount of times I have heard about "peaceful Muslims" condemning that attack and praying for the victims makes me sick, what a bloody advertising ploy.

Wait, it makes you sick that dozens of Muslim leaders (including, but not limited to, Australia's highest ranked Muslim) have banded together to publicly declare his actions evil and against the wishes of Allah?

Better watch out, your hatred of Islam might just be getting on top of you with that one.

[pallidin]

Well, one difference is that people with guns have them to terrorize and/or kill, other's have them to defend themselves or their family.

[watoom]

#iwillridewithyou

[pallidin]

Islam, Christianity, Hindus, etc. are not the problem.

The twisted radicalization amongst any religion, however, certainly is.