Iqaluit (Feb 27/06) - The hamlet was rocked with fear over the weekend as police negotiated with a man who barricaded himself and his three young children inside an Iglulik residence late Thursday.

"I don't believe the children are in danger," said Iqaluit RCMP Staff Sgt. Dale McLeod on Saturday, 35 hours after the standoff began.

Inside the house are the armed man's three-year-old son, two-year-old daughter and four-month-old son. The mother of the children is not there, but is in Iglulik.

The officer would not discuss the circumstances surrounding the situation, other than to say the man "refuses to come out."

According to a source who wishes to remain anonymous, the armed man refused to speak with police but agreed to speak with his cousin over the telephone. The cousin and the accused have been in contact since Saturday.

McLeod a along with a number of RCMP officers a flew to the community from Iqaluit at around 5:30 a.m. on Feb. 24.

The man had barricaded himself in the home at around midnight on Feb. 23.

McLeod could not say how many officers are on-site, but did say the situation was being handled by "trained negotiators from Iqaluit."

"We are in contact with him to bring a peaceful resolution to the situation," McLeod said Saturday morning.

On community radio, Iglulik mayor Joe Ataguttaaluk asked people to stay clear of the residence where the armed man has barricaded himself, said McLeod.

"We are keeping everybody safe. We have restricted access to some areas of the hamlet," he said.

The standoff continued as of 1:00 pm Sunday. The reasons behind the man's actions remain unclear to police.