Sydney Hostage Crisis

The Prime Minister is being accused of political opportunism by linking the Sydney siege and New Zealand's recently toughened anti-terrorism laws. Audio

Australia is on high alert after heavily armed police stormed a Sydney cafe early today, freeing most of the 17 hostages held there, though two were killed. Audio

Thousands of people have come to Martin Place throughout the day, stopping to place flowers and sign condolence books. Audio

The New South Wales Deputy Police Commissioner Catherine Burn says security's being beefed up around Sydney. Audio

Monis was sentenced to 300 hours community service in September last year for offensive letters he sent to the families of seven Australian soldiers killed in Iraq and Afganistan. Audio

Monis forced some of the hostages to appear in online videos where they make demands for him, speaking of bombs and Islamic State, and referring to Monis as "the brother". Audio

Details are emerging from the Sydney siege about how a cafe manager wrestled with the mentally unstable gunman, giving time for other hostages to escape, before he was shot dead. Audio

2GB radio host Ray Hadley has been close to events unfolding in Sydney over the past 24 hours or so. The Australian radio host says he received several calls from a hostage while they were being held… Audio

The Twitter hashtag 'I'll Ride With You' has gone viral with a show of support for Muslim Australians after the Sydney siege. Simon Mercep talks to Anjum Rahman, a member of the Islamic Women's… Audio

Media coverage of the Sydney hostage siege Audio

As more details emerge about the siege in Sydney, we speak with Manny Conditsis, former lawyer for the dead gunman, Man Haron Monis. Audio

Reporter from The Australian newspaper who has been at the scene of the Lindt cafe Hostage seige overnight. Audio

Security expert Dr Paul Buchanan of 36th Parallel Assessments speaks with Susie Ferguson. Audio

Prime Minister John Key speaks with Guyon Espiner. Audio

New South Wales Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione has been addressing a media conference in Sydney. Audio

With the latest on the Sydney siege, our reporter Kate Newton is with us again. Audio

A New Zealand Muslim leader has condemned Sydney's siege as a cowardly and heinous crime; Doctor Anwar Ghani is the president of the New Zealand Federation of Islamic Associations. Audio

New South Wales Premier, Mike Baird, and New South Wales Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione. Audio

Last week New Zealand's parliament passed legalisation under urgency to strengthen New Zealand's anti-terrorism laws; Labour supported the legislation, saying that it accepted there is an increased… Audio

An lawyer who works in the Lindt building, Jeremy Gruzman, says he was lucky not to be in the cafe at the time. Audio