German police in standoff at cafe, man holds 12

Berlin: Police in southwestern Germany are trying to end an overnight standoff with a man who barricaded himself inside a cafe with 12 other people.

Police in Freiburg say the 36-year-old of Kurdish origin made a "very emotional" phone call to officers last evening after failing to show up to his trial for a narcotics offense.

He then shut himself into a cafe in an industrial area with 12 relatives, friends and acquaintances.
Police said the others were apparently well-disposed toward the man but said authorities feared he might have weapons and use them. They were negotiating with him by phone.

Police said one man left the building early today morning. It wasn`t immediately clear who he was; police said he wasn`t arrested.