Texas synagogue kidnapping was an act of terrorism, says Biden

The FBI released on Sunday (16) the identity of the man who was killed after taking four hostages this weekend in a synagogue in Texas, in the United States, in an episode classified as a terrorist act by the US and UK governments. According to US federal police, the kidnapper was a 44-year-old British citizen named Malik Faisal Akram.

“At this time, there is no indication that other individuals were involved,” a statement from the FBI in Dallas says, adding that investigators continue “to review evidence from the synagogue.”

Earlier, US President Joe Biden called the episode an act of terrorism and appeared to confirm that the attacker demanded the release of imprisoned terrorist Aafia Siddiqui. According to some sources, during the kidnapping, the man would have said the name of the Pakistani neuroscientist, who is serving an 86-year sentence in a US prison after being convicted in 2010 of shooting soldiers and FBI agents.

“This was an act of terrorism” related to “someone who was arrested 15 years ago and has been in prison for 10 years,” Biden told reporters during a visit to a hunger relief organization in Philadelphia.

He added that there is not enough information as to why the gunman attacked the synagogue.

Also on Sunday, British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss called the incident an “act of terrorism and anti-Semitism”.

“My thoughts are with the Jewish community and everyone affected by this heinous act in Texas. We condemn this act of terrorism and anti-Semitism,” the diplomat wrote on Twitter. “We stand with the United States in defending the rights and freedoms of our citizens against those who spread hate,” he added.

After about 10 hours of negotiations, a rescue team broke into the synagogue and freed the three people who were being held hostage, Colleyville Police Chief Michael Miller said on Saturday. A fourth hostage had been released hours earlier.

“Suspect is dead,” added Miller. Dallas FBI Special Agent Matt DeSarno added that the four hostages, including local rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker, did not need medical attention and would soon be reunited with their families.

“It didn’t hurt them at all,” he said.

Initially, there was a report that the man was armed, but the police did not confirm whether he was in fact carrying any type of weapon and what it was.