– National security response –
The scene of the drama, Martin Place, is Sydney’s financial centre and houses several prominent buildings, including the New South Wales parliament, the US consulate, the country’s central bank and the Commonwealth Bank of Australia.
Many shops in the area opted to close early due to the scare, with only a trickle of people walking along usually bustling streets.
At the nearby Sydney Opera House, where police had swept the area earlier Monday, evening performances were cancelled.
“It’s sad to think this is my home and that it could happen anywhere,” said onlooker Rebecca Courtney.
The cafe incident came just minutes before police announced a man had been arrested in Sydney on alleged terrorism offences.
They said the 25-year-old was seized as part of “continuing investigations into the planning of a terrorist attack on Australian soil and the facilitation of travel of Australian citizens to Syria to engage in armed combat”.
Scipione said he did not believe the matters were related.
The government in September raised its terror threat level and police conducted large-scale counter-terror raids across the country. Only two people were charged even though 800 officers were involved in the operation.
More than 70 Australians are believed to be fighting for Islamic militants in Iraq and Syria. At least 20 have died and there are growing concerns about youths becoming radicalised and mounting attacks at home.
Journalist Chris Kenny, who was in the Lindt cafe just before the siege began, said he understood the automatic glass sliding doors had been disabled.
He added that a woman who tried to get in as he was leaving saw someone with a weapon.
“She mentioned it being taken out of a blue bag and people were straight away asked to put up their hands,” he told the newspaper he works for, The Australian.
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