HEAVILY armed police stormed a Sydney cafe today, ending a siege by a gunman who had held a number of hostages for more than 16 hours.

Local reports said two people, including the gunman, identified as Iranian-born Man Haron Monis, had died.

A female hostage was shot in the leg, a hospital official said, and earlier at least two people were wheeled out of the cafe on stretchers.

Throughout the day, several people were seen with their arms in the air and hands pressed against the window of the cafe. Two people held up a black flag with the Shahada — an Islamic declaration of faith — written on it.

A number of Australian Muslim groups condemned the hostage-taking in a statement and said the flag’s inscription was a “testimony of faith that has been misappropriated by misguided individuals.”

In 2013 Mr Monis was sentenced to 300 hours of community service for sending what a judge called “grossly offensive” letters to families of soldiers killed in Afghanistan between 2007 and 2009.

His former lawyer Manny Conditsis told Australian Broadcasting Corp: “This is a one-off random individual. It’s not a concerted terrorism event or act. It’s a damaged-goods individual who’s done something outrageous.”