| This is a local Aussie news-station. See the comments from Burg regulars yesterday after news broke here. |
At least 13 people are being held inside the Sydney CBD cafe by the man -- who is believed to have possible links to terrorist organisations.
The alarm was raised about 9.45am after onlookers reported a man with a shotgun taking hostages in the cafe. Hostages inside the cafe have been forced to hold what appears to be an Islamic flag, identified as a Shahada flag, in the cafe's window reading "no god worthy of worship except Allah and Muhammad is his messenger".
A man has been handcuffed 200m from the Martin Place cafe siege with a police officer's foot on what appears to be a small black handgun.
An ISIS flag is being held against the window.
Police have moved into position. There are more than three tactical police units on the scene, around 50 uniformed officers and scores more detectives in plain clothes and bulletproof vests.
Police are directing those in the vicinity of Martin Place who have not been evacuated to remain inside their buildings.
Journalist Chris Kenny, who was in the cafe about 20 minutes before the siege began, said he understood the automatic glass sliding doors had been disabled.
"I did speak to a couple of people who saw a bit more of this unfold than I did," he said. "One woman said she tried to go into the shop just after I came out with my takeaway coffee but the doors wouldn't open.
"So obviously whoever is doing this has disabled the automatic glass sliding doors to stop anyone else going in.
"She said immediately she could see there was a weapon.
"She mentioned (the weapon) being taken out of a blue bag and people were straight away asked to put up their hands."
Businesses that share the same building at the centre of the siege in Martin Place told ninemsn they are yet to be evacuated as they await police instruction.
It is understood that staff of a number of businesses in 53 Martin Place are remaining in their offices and have been in contact with police through their building management.
A barrister who worked in the floors above the café told 9NEWS when he heard the sirens he "thought nothing of it".
"I heard some witnesses say they went to go in (to the cafe) and saw a man with a sawn-off shotgun," he said.
He said the building has some fire exits where people could use to leave the building but he thought police could have sealed them off.
"I obviously can't remember anything this dramatic ever happening in Sydney," he said.
He walked downstairs just as the situation was unfolding, and was quickly ushered outside by police. He estimated at least 50 other barristers were stuck on the floors above the café.
Workers in nearby buildings, including the Seven Network, have been ordered to evacuate the area. Police have moved all media and bystanders back about 70 meters from the Lindt Cafe.
Heavily armed tactical response police are taking turns behind a blast shield on the corner of the building. The officers are moved into the critical position for a short period of time before being swapped with reserve police behind cover.