BRIT SHOOTER
Texas synagogue siege – Brit gunman took 4 hostages before killed by cops after demanding to speak to ‘Lady Al Qaeda’
THE Texas synagogue captor who held four worshippers hostage was a British national the FBI has confirmed.
The gunman, named by officials as Malik Faisal Akram, kept members of the Congregation Beth Israel synagogue in Colleyville captive for almost 12 hours after storming the temple and demanding to speak to convicted terrorist Aafia Siddiqui.
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Akram, 44, is a British citizen from the town of Blackburn in Lancashire.
FBI agents will now liaise with the Metropolitan Police as the investigation gets underway.
Akram's family on Sunday condemned the attack on the synagogue, and said he was suffering from mental health struggles.
They added: '[We] would like to sincerely apologise wholeheartedly to all the victims involved in the unfortunate incident.'
Special Agent in Charge Matt DeSarno earlier announced the agency's investigation "will have global reach" after many speculated the suspect appeared to have a British accent.
A spokesperson for the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said it is "aware of the death of a British man in Texas and are in contact with the local authorities".
Late on Saturday night, Texas Governor Greg Abbott that all four people were taken out of the synagogue "alive and safe".
The hostage-taker, according to the FBI, is dead after loud bangs and gunfire were heard inside the building.
The incident was extraordinarily captured on the synagogue's lifestream, with the captor demanding the release of Aafia Siddiqui.
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One of the hostages shortly after 5pm, before the other three were saved by the FBI's Hostage Rescue Team.
It was reported the congregation's rabbi, Charlie Cytron-Walker, was among the hostages who were safely freed.
The FBI said that the suspect seemed to be "singularly focused on one issue and it was not specifically related to the Jewish community."
Authorities are still trying to establish the significance of his cries regarding Siddiqui.
Aafia Siddiqui, also known as "Lady Al Qaeda," is serving an 86-year sentence at a federal prison near Fort Worth.
She's a Pakistani neuroscientist suspected of having ties to Al Qaeda.
But a lawyer for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, representing her brother Muhammad, condemned the attack and said the family was working "for the release of their sister from incarceration by legal and non-violent means only."
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ABC News had previously reported that Siddiqui's biological brother may be involved after the gunman referred to her as his "sister," but the lawyer said the reports were inaccurate.
“We strongly condemn the hostage-taking at Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas," read from the council.
“This antisemitic attack against a house of worship is unacceptable. We stand in solidarity with the Jewish community, and we pray that law enforcement authorities were able to swiftly free the hostages and bring them to safety.
“We want to make it very well known that the hostage-taker is NOT Dr. Aafia Siddiqui’s brother, who is not even in the same region where this horrible incident is taking place.
“We want the hostage-taker to know that Dr. Aafia Siddiqui and her family strongly condemn this act and do not stand by you."
The suspect also claimed to have placed bombs in unknown locations, according to ABC News.
He was carrying backpacks, claiming to have had explosives.
'EXTREME DISTRESS'
A man's voice was heard talking on the live stream occasionally saying "do something" and "I haven't spoken to her," and at times yelling profanities.
He was also allegedly heard saying, "I am going to die. Do not cry for me," local KTVT.
The man also made mention of having "six beautiful kids."
Texas resident Victoria Francis told The Associated Press that she watched about an hour of the livestream before it cut out, listening to the man rant against America and claim he had a bomb.
“He was just all over the map. He was pretty irritated and the more irritated he got, he’d make more threats, like ‘I’m the guy with the bomb. If you make a mistake, this is all on you.’ And he’d laugh at that.
“He was clearly in extreme distress.”
No one was seen on camera through the live stream; only voices were heard. A Meta company spokesperson later confirmed that Facebook removed the video.
The synagogue's morning service began around 10am, according to their calendar, which is around the time cops said they received calls about the situation.
BELOVED RABBI
Many have taken to Twitter offering thoughts and prayers to Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker, who was among the hostages taken on Saturday.
The rabbi said in a he was "grateful to be alive" after the ordeal.
He said: "I am thankful and filled with appreciation for
All of the vigils and prayers and love and support,
All of the law enforcement and first responders who cared for us,
All of the security training that helped save us."
According to the synagogue's website, Cytron-Walker is their first full-time rabbi since 2006.
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The hostage-taker also called Angela Buchdahl, senior rabbi at Central Synagogue in New York City to relay his demands and wanted her to use her influence to secure the release of Siddiqui.
She confirmed her involvement to the , and said she spoke twice to the hostage taker.
“I can confirm that the gunman reached out to me twice yesterday by phone,” Buchdahl wrote in an email. “We are about to share a note with the congregation just confirming that. Other than that for security reasons I cannot share more.”
It is not clear why Buchdahl was called by the gunman.
The rabbi had called the NYPD, who said they were aware of the situation.
As a precaution, the NYPD Counterterrorism Bureau to the synagogue where the rabbi works and other synagogues across the city.
Dallas and Los Angeles are also among the cities that stepped up police presence at synagogues as the situation in Colleyville unfolded on Saturday.
Police were stationed around the synagogue and the FBI worked to negotiate with the suspect and deescalate the situation for around 12 hours.
President Joe Biden praised law enforcement and sent "love and strength" to the Jewish community.
“There is more we will learn in the days ahead about the motivations of the hostage-taker. But let me be clear to anyone who intends to spread hate — we will stand against anti-Semitism and against the rise of extremism in this country,” Mr Biden said in a written statement. “That is who we are, and tonight, the men and women of law enforcement made us all proud.”
Vice President Kamala Harris said in a statement Sunday: "This morning, we are grateful that four people held hostage in a synagogue in Colleyville, Texas are safe and going home to their families. We thank the brave men and women in federal, state, and local law enforcement, and we stand in solidarity with the Congregation Beth Israel community and the entire Jewish community."
She added: "While we will learn more about the hostage taker’s motivation, we know this: what happened yesterday at Congregation Beth Israel is a reminder that we must speak up and combat antisemitism and hate wherever it exists. Everyone has a right to pray, work, study, and spend time with loved ones not as the other – but as us."
Anna Salton Eisen, a founder and former president of the synagogue, said the congregation has about 140 members and Cytron-Walker has worked hard to build interfaith relationships in the community.
“This is unlike anything we’ve ever experienced," she said.
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"You know, it’s a small town and it’s a small congregation. No matter how it turns out it’s hard to fathom how we will all be changed by this, because surely we will be.”
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