Confirming one of the hostage-taker’s demands in my post here, the Telegraph is reporting that he has indeed demanded an Islamic State flag: “Sydney siege: gunman ‘demands Islamic State flag,'” the Telegraph, December 15, 2014:
A man holding hostages in a Sydney cafe on Monday has demanded that a flag of the Islamic State in the levant group, also known as Isis, be delivered to him and warned that four bombs have been planted around the city, a report said.
A major square in the heart of the Australian city is in lockdown with hundreds of armed police surrounding the Lindt chocolate cafe, where a flag – black with white Arabic writing – was held to a window by customers.
It appears to be the shahada, or profession of faith in Islam, and says: “There is no god but Allah; Mohammed is the Messenger of Allah.”
The fact he then demanded an Isil flag sparked speculation that the gunman may have made a mistake in his initial choice of flag.
Maybe, but both flags have exactly the same words on them, just with a different design. He probably just wants to emphasize his allegiance with the Islamic State. And the police are working to comply with this demand — rather than, say, move snipers near to the shop: “Why did police ask former terror suspect for an ISIS flag?,” by Candace Sutton and Daniel Piotrowski, Daily Mail, December 15, 2014:
Counter terrorism police have contacted Sydney man and onetime terror accused Zaky Mallah and asked him for an ISIS flag.
Just over four hours into the Martin Place siege, officers the NSW Police Joint Counter Terrorism Team and asked him if he could give them an ISIS flag.
Zaky Mallah, 30, from Westmead in western Sydney offered the Counter Terrorist police the flag that hangs on the wall of his apartment, the moderate Islamic Front flag, but ‘they weren’t interested’.
The news comes as Radio 2GB broadcaster Ray Hadley said he had three telephone conversations with a young man who is among the hostages and that the hostage said the gunman had made several demands.
Earlier, the gunman appeared to force the hostages to hold up another Islamic flag, the Shahada which bears the words in Arabic, ‘There is no God but Allah’.
Mr Mallah was the first person to be charged with terrorism back in 2003 after he made a video which Federal Police and ASIO said contained a planned suicide attack on federal government offices in Sydney….
John C. Barile says
Only an Islamic State flag will do; an Islamic Front flag is too “moderate.” A terrorist just can’t be too particular these days.
epistemology says
Jihad bells, jihad bells jihad all the way… to quote Latma TV.
Hope the police can end this hostage drama. It’s despicable.
pennant8 says
What’s next? Will SWAT teams now be equipped with ISIS flags in case they get called to a hostage situation and find out that the jihadist hostage takers forgot to bring their own flag along?
Jax Tolmen says
The terrorist has a name, and Robert has spoken of him before on Jihadwatch :http://www.jihadwatch.org/2013/08/australia-muslim-cleric-pleads-guilty-to-sending-offensive-letters-to-families-of-australian-soldier
Vindication of Robert Spencers work right there.
David says
http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/martin-place-sydney-siege-gunman-identified-as-man-maron-monis-20141216-127sxt.html
Here he is.
Jax Tolmen says
You should send that link to Robert, I sent him one already highlighting his previous article on this terrorist – but he could probably use a source to verify before he posts.
jihad3tracker says
This point may well have already occurred to readers here, but let me make it anyway :
If there is one “good” aspect here, it is that this kind of situation is, as CBS’s Bob Orr said, “almost prototypical” for what an urban or semi-rural individual armed jihadist FDM [Fully Devoted Muslim] will do — captives in an enclosed space.
NiceLady says
My fellow Americans, arm yourselves to the extent that your budget and state laws allow. This is what saved America from an invasion during World War II: Yamamoto, the Commander-In-Chief of Japan knew that behind every blade of grass in America, there is someone with a rifle.
Case in point: The yahoo in Oklahoma who beheaded his coworker was shot dead by a supervisor, and his second victim lived. If more people had conceal and carry, his first victim would have lived, too.
Getting my conceal and carry seems like a better idea all the time :0)
jihad3tracker says
Here is a link for readers to get started — a knowledge base about relevant laws and so forth :
http://www.handgunlaw.us/
I got my CC permit 18 months ago, and derive some degree of comfort from having it NOW — before Peace & Love Libs decide to restrict any more severely than they already have.
Thoughtful says
If the Police had any sense they would have asked the hostage taker where an ISIS flag might be obtained from!
That way if he doesn’t know then they reply well how do you expect us to know?
Or if he tells them then chances are there are other terrorist or sympathisers about !
It might sound a simple thing, but often these hostage takers are caught out by questions like this
Trend Prophet says
Don’t give him the flag!!!!!!!!!!!!! You idiots!
He needs it to do his next scene which is executing one of the hostages.