FBI Hostage Negotiators Assisted With Sydney Cafe

FBI hostage negotiators were assisting experts in Australia who were trying to rescue up to 30 people being held by a man in a Sydney cafe. The suspect has forced some of his hostages to hold up a flag with the Islamic creed.

Clint Van Zandt is the FBI's former chief negotiator, and he says negotiators were probably offering him face-saving ways to end the dispute without taking any lives, but a today's police rescue effort has resulted in injuries and maybe even deaths, but too early to tell.

A police spokesman confirmed “the operation is over,” but would not release any further details about the fate of the gunman or the hostages.

Van Zandt spoke with Here & Now's Robin Young about the situation.