PM Narendra Modi describes Sydney terror attack as ‘disturbing’

The hostage situation in Australia brings focus to the growing ISIS threat in the country, which New Delhi will be monitoring closely in the wake of the newly-agreed security framework between the two countries that was signed last month.

According to initial reports, armed men are holding up to 50 people hostage at a cafe in Martin place in Sydney. There are reports that two gunmen have taken hostages at the popular Lindt chocolate shop, which has several entrances.

This incident comes close on the heels of the Australian government accusing ISIS of using foreign fighters as “cannon fodder,” as the number of Australians killed while fighting alongside militants in Syria and Iraq rose to 20.

The Australian government estimates at least 70 Australians are fighting with terrorist groups in Iraq and Syria. Last week, Australian Attorney General George Brandis said in a report published Tuesday that members of ISIS are tricking Westerners into believing they are playing a key part of a religious crusade.

“They are simply using them as front-line cannon fodder, suicide bombers and propaganda tools,” Brandis had said. For India, this incident is likely to witness a closer cooperation with Australia on counter-terrorism.

Last month, Modi and Australian PM Tony Abbott had decided to establish a Framework for Security Cooperation to reflect the deepening and expanding security and defence engagement between India and Australia, and to intensify cooperation and consultation between Australia and India in areas of mutual interest.

Under the theme of “Counterterrorism and other Transnational Crimes”, the framework set up an annual Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism and other Transnational Crimes.

The new pact calls for cooperation in CT training and exchanges between experts on countering improvised explosive devices, bomb incidents and technologies.

“Exchanges on counter-radicalisation” is one of the key areas, apart from cooperation between police on investigation of transnational crime.

In the ongoing hostage situation in Australia, some members of staff could be seen wearing their shop aprons and standing with their hands up at the windows. There is also a black and white flag being held up in a window. It is believed to be the Black Standard, a jihadist flag.

Lindt Australia CEO Steve Loane told the media he believes there are 40 to 50 people inside the cafe, including customers and staff. Police handcuffed a man 200m from the cafe siege but a police statement has since clarified the arrest was unrelated to the siege.

Last week, Australia used tough new counterterrorism laws to make it a criminal offense for Australians to travel to the Syrian province of Raqqa because of ISIS’s hold on the war-ravaged region.