Australia PM Urges 'Business As Usual'

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Australia's Prime Minister has said there are "some indications" that the siege at a Sydney cafe could be politically motivated.

However, he added that the exact motivation is yet to be established.

Speaking at a news conference in Canberra, Tony Abbott said: "We have to appreciate that even in a society such as ours there are people who would wish to do us harm.

"That's why we have police and security organisations of the utmost professionalism that are ready and able to respond to a whole range of situations and contingencies including the situation that we are now seeing in Sydney.

"The whole point of politically motivated violence is to scare people out of being themselves. Australia is a peaceful, open and generous society. Nothing should ever change that and that is why I would urge all Australians today to go about their business as usual.

"Of course if anyone does have any suspicions of untoward activity, there is the national security hotline, 1800-123-400, which I would urge them to call."

He added: "Our thoughts and prayers must above all go out to the individuals who are caught up in this.

"I can think of almost nothing more distressing or terrifying than to be caught up in such a situation, and our hearts go out to those people."

Mr Abbott later tweeted that Australia's National Security Committee had been briefed on the situation.

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Gallery: Latest Images From Australia

Two hostages run for cover behind a policeman during a hostage siege in the central business district of Sydney

A hostage runs towards a police officer

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Another woman runs for freedom from Sydney's Lindt chocolate shop and cafe in Martin Place

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They are among five people to have managed to get out of the building in the city's central business district

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The most recent threat suggests a lone gunman is in possession of four bombs

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In further posts he wrote: "I'm proud of the way police and security bodies have responded to the disturbing events today.

"It's been a difficult day, which has tested us, but like Australians in all sorts of situations, we have risen to the challenge."

New South Wales Premier Mike Baird said he was proud of how the city was responding to the situation and urged everyone in Sydney to continue as usual in the morning.

He said only those working within the exclusion zone around Martin Place should work from home and the transport network was operating largely as normal.

New South Wales Police also urged people to "go about their daily business as usual".

With respect to motives, Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione said: "We're not in the business of speculating, we are in the business of investigating."

Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron gave his reaction on Twitter, saying: "I was briefed overnight on the siege in Sydney. It's deeply concerning and my thoughts are with all those caught up in it."

Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond tweeted: "Shocked by events in Sydney. Thoughts are with those affected. We are in close touch with Australian colleagues."

Several hours before armed officers surrounded the Lindt chocolat cafe in Martin Place, police announced a man had been arrested in the city as part of investigations into the planning of an attack in Australia.

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".

It is not clear if the two matters are related.

Australia is on high alert for attacks by radicalised Muslims or by home-grown militants returning from fighting in the Middle East, having raised its threat level to high and undertaken a series of high-profile raids in major cities.

Mr Abbott has said that at least 70 Australians were fighting in Iraq and Syria backed by about 100 Australia-based "facilitators".

At least 20 have died and there are mounting concerns that increasing numbers of youths are being radicalised and could mount attacks at home.

Canberra recently passed a law criminalising travel to terror hotspots without good reason, fearful that nationals will pose a risk when they return.

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