Muslim Gunman Takes Hostages In Australian Chocolate Shop

Early Tuesday morning Australian time, police in Sydney stormed into a Lindt Chocolate Cafe in an area known as Martin Place, ending a 16-hour siege by a lone gunman who had been holding people hostage inside.  Various reports have indicated that five hostages had fled from the cafe, and an Islamic flag had been placed in one of its windows.  The gunman has been identified as Man Haron Monis, a refugee from Iran and self-proclaimed Islamic cleric who previously had been convicted of sending threatening letters to the families of Australian military personnel killed in Afghanistan.  (As I write this, it's still Monday morning in the United States.)

Read more at BBC News, Yahoo News, USA Today, Time and The Washington Post.

UPDATE:  Some of the reports now indicate that the gunman and two hostages have died.  (Added just after 3:00 p.m., U.S. east coast time)

UPDATE 2:  From 9News, Monis was out on bail and had "a long rap sheet", including being charged as an accessory to the murder of his ex-wife.  (H/T catstrangler)