Australian police say contact made with Sydney siege gunman

Latest update: Sydney siege man demands IS flag, says 4 bombs in the city; Five hostages run out of Sydney siege cafe

[SYDNEY] Australian police said on Monday negotiators had been in contact with the gunman holding hostages in a Sydney cafe siege but refused to speculate on his possible motivation.

Television footage earlier showed three of the hostages running from the building. New South Wales Deputy Police Commissioner Catherine Burn declined to say how many were still being held in the cafe but said it "is not as high as 30".

Burn told reporters there was no indication that any of the remaining hostages had been harmed.

REUTERS