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New Day

Man Holds Hostages in Cafe in Sydney, Australia

Aired December 15, 2014 - 08:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are being tested to die.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hostage terror in Sydney.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: An armed man holding an unknown number of hostages.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Just absolutely traumatic. These men walked in. Two demands, an ISIL flag and a phone call with the prime minister.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The gunman was using one of the employees as a human shield.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is what Americans have been dealing with since September 11th.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. It is Monday, December 15th just about 8:00 in the east. I'm Chris Cuomo with Alisyn Camerota. We want to welcome back our viewers in the U.S. and around the world.

We are on top of breaking news out of Sydney. We are now 14 hours into a standoff where gunmen is holding people hostage in a cafe. What you're seeing now on your screen in a little box, live picture of the situation, and in the main you're seeing the escape of five hostages. We believe to be an escape because the gunman was very agitated afterwards, moved the remaining hostages so that he could keep better control of the situation.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: We also understand that those still trapped inside have been forced to stand against the windows in shifts holding an Islamic flag and their hands up. Also, chilling images emerging of the gunman. At this hour we now have at least three videos that have been released of the hostages making demands on behalf of the gunmen. We are not showing those videos to you but we can tell you some of the content.

So let's get right to CNN's Anna Coren. She is live in Sydney. What do we know at this hour, Anna?

ANNA COREN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Alisyn, despite the presence of hundreds of police, the bomb squad, as well as police snipers, this siege is now entering its 14th hour in the heart of Sydney and central business district about a block from where we are standing. As you say, five hostages have escaped. We don't know how many are still inside the cafe. Police refusing to reveal that number. We understand from a local reporter, opposite the cafe in the TV network located there, he says he has seen the gunman, turned out the lights. But he's walking around the cafe with his iPad. For now, let's recap on the day's events.

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COREN: Sydney under siege, an unidentified gunman holding at least dozen hostages inside this Lindt Chocolat Cafe in Sydney, Australia. The gunman, who reportedly calls himself "The Brother," has contacted three local news outlets making demands. One, an ISIS flag in exchange for one hostage. Two, a call to the prime minister. He claims that he's plant two bombs in the cafe and two others in the city. The cafe located in the center of the bustling business district but now hundreds of police officers are shutting down the crowded Martin Place.

ANDREW SCIPIONE, POLICE COMMISSIONER: Our only goal tonight and for as long as this takes is to get those people who are currently caught in that building out of there safely.

COREN: It was during morning rush hour at 9:30 a.m. when a woman reportedly told police she saw a man carrying a suspicion bag.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He went to take the bag out and revealed the gun to get rid of her. And she ran saying "Gun, gun, gun. Gun in the blue bag."

COREN: The hostage crisis then unfolding around 9:45 A.M. when the man entered the cafe. Just moments later hostages seen pressing their hands against the window, fear etched on their faces, forced to unfurl a black flag bearing an Islamic phrase.

TONY ABBOTT, AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER: We don't know whether this is politically motivated, although obviously there are some indications that it could be.