Dhaka shooting: Hostage situation as gunmen battle police

[B2G]

Source: CNN International

(CNN) — Police exchanged gunfire with armed attackers Friday in a diplomatic zone of Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Here's what we know:
• There are armed assailants inside a Spanish restaurant. Some customers are trapped inside, police official Gen. Benzir Ahmed told reporters. "We are trying to resolve this issue peacefully," he said. It's unclear how many hostages there are.
• Assailants are throwing grenades at police, a source at the scene said.
• A police bomb disposal unit was on standby to go in.
• The U.S. Embassy in Dhaka warned of the situation on Twitter, advising people to shelter in place and noting that a hostage situation had been reported. Later, the embassy advised it had accounted for all of the American citizens working under the chief of the mission authority.

The attack comes on the same day a Hindu priest was hacked to death at his temple in Bangladesh's southwestern district of Jhenaidah early Friday, police said.

That incident was the latest in a wave of murders across Bangladesh of secular bloggers, academics and religious minorities such as Hindus, Christians, Buddhists and Sufi Muslims -- despite a nationwide government crackdown and the arrest of more than 14,000 people.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/01/asia/bangladesh-dhaka-shooting/index.html

[B2G]

1. ISIS claims responsibility per BBC.

Gunmen take hostages in Bangladeshi capital Dhaka
9 minutes ago

From the section Asia

Gunmen have stormed a popular cafe in the diplomatic area of the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka, taking a number of hostages, officials say.

Several foreigners are among those being held by eight or nine armed men in the city's Gulshan district, they add.

A police officer has been killed and at least five others injured in a gun battle, a spokesman said.

So-called Islamic State has said it carried out the attack.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-36687616

[bdwker]

2. Hmmm

I hope no blames the GROUP that shall not be named.

Remember Tim McVeigh.

[Coventina]

3. The poor dears couldn't help themselves. US foreign policy made them do it!!!

For the victims....

[B2G]

4. Does no one seem to care because

It didn't happen in the US or because ISIS is involved? Or is it something else?

First Turkey and now this. In both cases, no discussion. I don't get it.

[muriel_volestrangler]

9. I was waiting until there was a better idea of what was happening

When it first broke on the BBC website, some websites just had vague terms like "a group of miscreants": http://www.newkerala.com/news/2016/fullnews-84756.html

[name not needed]

5. Ah, jeez... how are we ever gonna blame this one on the GOP?

[romanic]

6. Tragic, Bangladesh is bern rocked with Islamic violence.

Not going to even comment on the lack of response on here, it's expected at this point.

[Eugene]

7. US Cannot Confirm IS Claim of Responsibility in Dhaka Attack

Source: Associated Press

US Cannot Confirm IS Claim of Responsibility in Dhaka Attack

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS DHAKA, Bangladesh — Jul 1, 2016, 5:40 PM ET

The Latest on the attack on a restaurant popular with foreigners in a diplomatic zone in the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka (all times local):

3:00 a.m.

The U.S. State Department says it has seen the claims of responsibility by the Islamic State group for the hostage-taking in Dhaka but cannot yet confirm it.

A White House official said President Barack Obama was briefed on the attack by his chief counterterrorism adviser Lisa Monaco. The president asked to be kept informed as the situation develops, said the official, who was not authorized to speak publicly about the president's meetings.

State Department spokesman John Kirby says the U.S. is in contact with the Bangladesh government and has offered its assistance to bring those responsible to justice.

[font size=1]-snip-[/font]

Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/police-officers-killed-bangladesh-attack-40289987

[B2G]

8. They're leaning toward Al Queda

Not good either way.

[melman]

11. ISIS released photos from inside

They are grisly, not going to link them, but they're all over twitter.


If you see them you'll notice the chairs and tables match the ones in this photo from tripadvisor. [img][/img]

So they are not fake.

[melman]

10. Just saw some gruesome photos on twitter

A lot of people dead inside the restaurant.

[Eugene]

12. Dhaka commandos storm restaurant as Islamic State claim 24 dead in attack on diplomatic quarter...

Dhaka commandos storm restaurant as Islamic State claim 24 dead in attack on diplomatic quarter of Bangladeshi capital

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/07/01/gunmen-attack-restaurant-in-diplomatic-quarter-of-bangladeshi-ca/

[melman]

13. AP: Twenty hostages killed

https://twitter.com/AP/status/749150590631108608?lang=en

[oberliner]

14. Hostages who couldn't recite Quran were tortured

Rezaul Karim, the father of a Bangladeshi businessman who was rescued along with his family, told the AP the attackers did not harm any hostage who could recite verses from the Islamic holy book, Quran.

Karim said his son told him that the attackers "did not hit people who could recite verses from the Quran. The others were tortured," he said.

http://abcnews.go.com/International/shooting-hostage-situation-underway-bangladesh/story?id=40283510