Two teenagers were arrested in Britain in connection with a British citizen who took four hostages at the Texas Synagogue on Saturday, police said.
“As part of an ongoing investigation into an attack on the Texas synagogue on January 15, 2022, Northwestern counterterrorism police officers arrested two people in connection with the incident.” Manchester police Said on Sunday.
“Two teenagers were detained in South Manchester tonight,” police added in a statement posted on Twitter. “They remain detained for interrogation.”
#update | What’s New in the Northwestern Counterterrorism Police Following the Events in Texas: pic.twitter.com/Q3o08bc8Js
— Greater Manchester Police (@gmpolice) January 16, 2022
On Sunday, the FBI identified British national Malik Faisal Akram, 44, from the industrial city of Blackburn in northern England as a hostage.
Akram, who was killed by the FBISWAT team at the Congregation Beth Israel Synagogue near Fort Worth, demanded the release of Pakistani-born female neuroscientist Afia Sidiki and heard that he had stood off the hostages for 10 hours. rice field.
All hostages, including the synagogue rabbi, survived the test unscathed. The rabbi was on the Sabbath service at the time of the siege.
Siddiqui was convicted of attempting to kill a U.S. Army officer in Afghanistan and was sentenced to 86 years at Carswell Air Force Base, about 15 miles from the synagogue, after being convicted by the New York Federal Court in 2010. I’m dressed.
Akram’s brother, Gulbar, told the Blackburn Muslim Community’s Facebook page that Akram was suffering from a mental illness and his family spent the night at a local police station. [Akram], Negotiator, FBI, etc. “
After six hours of negotiations, they were able to persuade Akram to release one of the unscathed hostages.
But Galver wrote, “There was nothing we couldn’t say or do to him to convince him to surrender.” Gulbar wrote on the Blackburn Muslim Community’s Facebook page.
He said the FBI was planning to fly to the UK “late today” and as a result the family could say a little more.
“We do not tolerate his actions as a family and would like to sincerely apologize to all the victims involved in the unfortunate incident,” the brothers wrote.
He added that the family suffered the death of a young brother “only three months ago,” and said the family’s priority was “to return Akram’s body to England for funeral prayers.” .. “
It is not clear whether Akram took his life or was killed by a member of the FBI Hostage Rescue Team.
Reuters contributed to this article.
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Melanie is an Australian-based reporter and editor who covers the world news. She has a background in environmental studies.