The woman alerted police, who quickly surrounded the building. Martin Place, busy for a year-end Monday morning, was hastily evacuated.

In exchange for a public declaration from the government that his was an act of terror committed on behalf of Islamic State, he was prepared to release two more. And for a black

final prisoner.

a black flag that carries the Islamic Shahada – the creed that states “there is no God but God, Muhammad is the messenger of God” – written in white calligraphic Arabic

lamic State flag he was prepared to release a

our Isis brother has been very fair to us”.

he wants an Islamic State flag delivered to us here.

The second is that he wants the politicians to announce the truth which is that this is an attack by Islamic State on Australia. And if that’s done then two of us will be allowed to go.

Monis grew weary, one or more of his hostages attempted to wrestle the gun from his control.

It was 3:37pm, and the siege had run nearly six hours. The men decided to take their chances.

Officers threw volley after volley of flash-bangs into the building, filling the cafe with disorienting light and smoke.

Paramedic crews who had followed the police inside then brought out patients on stretchers, at least one receiving CPR.

Monis lay dead.

id two of his victims, 38-year-old barrister Katrina Dawson, a mother of three, and 34-year-old Tori Johnson, the manager on duty who had been speaking with Monis just over 16 hours earlier on that unremarkable Monday morning.