UPDATED 03:34 EDT / DECEMBER 15 2014

NEWS

Hostage used to communicate demands via Facebook in Sydney terror attack

sydney hostageA hostage in the terrorist attack in Sydney, Australia has been forced to post the demands of the terrorist on their Facebook Inc. account.

A post to Facebook from bank worker Marcia Mikhael includes a range of demands from the ISIL-related terrorist and notes that hostages will be shot if they are not met.

Note that we are unable to confirm whether Mikhael is a hostage and the demands are legitimate, however we can confirm that she is a Senior Project Manager at Westpac Banking Corporation in Sydney, and the bank has its headquarters on Martin Place where the terrorist attack has occurred, which at the very least would place her near the location when the attack first transpired.

Primarily the post states that the terrorist wants the world to know that “Australia is under attack by the Islamic State.”

Mikhael states that the terrorist demands include wanting an Islamic State flag and to speak with Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott via live broadcast.

Further the terrorist has asked that “brothers” do not detonate two bombs located in the city.

Mikhael indicated that hostages would be shot if the demands are not met.

There have been unconfirmed reports that other hostages have been active on social media with information from within the siege, but it has been confirmed by Australian media that hostages have been contacting radio and television stations with similar demands.

New South Wales Police are asking social media users to not report on them. It is their right to ask, but unless it threatens the safety of those currently caught up in this tragic situation (such as not reporting the tactical placement of the police on the ground…which the mainstream media has broadcast all day without restraint) the public has the right to know what motivated the maniac in this case.

News of the terrorist attack has trended globally on Twitter Inc. and Facebook today, as well as dominating news globally. On Twitter the main hashtag is #sydneysiege.

UPDATE (4 hours after original report): the content of the Facebook post is legitimate, with both CNN and Fox News confirming that these are the demands of the terrorist.


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