Sydney siege: alleged Jihadist holds hostages in cafe 6 Photos . Updated: 15 Dec 2014, 01:08 PM IST Livemint On Monday morning police authorities confirmed an armed assailant was holding hostages inside Lindt, a central Sydney cafe. Local television channels showed some of the hostages being forced to hold up a black flag with white Arabic writing on it. In the pictures. 1/6This screen grab taken from the Australian Channel Seven broadcast shows presumed hostages holding up a flag with Arabic writing inside the Lindt cafe in the central business district of Sydney on 15 December. Photo: AFP 2/6A black flag with white Arabic writing is held up in the window of the Lindt cafe in this still image taken from video from Australia’s Seven Network, Photo: Reuters 3/6This image taken from a video shows people holding up hands inside a cafe in Sydney. Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said there were indications the hostage situation at the Lindt Cafe was politically motivated. Photo: AP 4/6This screen grab taken from Australian Channel Seven shows the suspected gunman inside the cafe. Photo: AFP 5/6Armed police evacuate employees from the offices next to a cafe in the central business district of Sydney on December. Photo: AFP 6/6Police officers position themselves at a corner near the Lindt cafe in Martin Place, where hostages are being held. Photo: Reuters