Texas Synagogue attack: Accused Malik Faisal Akram identified as British citizen, Joe Biden calls it 'act of terror

The accused was shot dead by the rescue team on Saturday night at about 9 P.M. (local time) and the hostages were freed unharmed after a 11 hour long standoff, as per a report by CNN. The accused landed in the U.S. legally five weeks ago in December, and spent three nights at a homeless shelter, the CNN further reports.  “There is no question that this was a traumatic experience…We are resilient, and we will recover," Cytron-Walker, the Rabbi said in a statement Sunday.

The accused who had held 4 people hostage, including the Rabbi, at the Texas Synagogue has been identified by the FBI as 44-years-old British citizen Malik Faisal Akram. Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden has termed the incident as an “act of terror”. 

The accused was shot dead by the rescue team on Saturday night at about 9 P.M. (local time) and the hostages were freed unharmed after a 11 hour long standoff, as per a report by CNN. The accused landed in the U.S. legally five weeks ago in December, and spent three nights at a homeless shelter, the CNN further reports.  “There is no question that this was a traumatic experience…We are resilient, and we will recover," Cytron-Walker, the Rabbi said in a statement Sunday. As per media reports, one hostage was freed early and after a long excruciating negotiation, an elite SWAT team burst into the synagogue and killed him as per AFP.

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This has been termed till now as a lone wolf attack as no one else has been suspected in conspiring the crisis, as per a statement by the FBI. The bureau has also not disclosed any particular motive behind the attack even as President Biden indicated that the attacker was “someone who was arrested 15 years ago and has been in jail for 10 years”, in a statement to reporters in Philadelphia.

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 The site of attack was the Congregation Beth Israel synagogue in the small Texas town of Colleyville, over 24 kms from Fort Worth prison, where a Pakistani neuroscientist turned terrorist, Aafia Siddiqui (nicknamed Lady Al Qaeda), been incarcerated for 86 years. She was caught in Afghanistan in 2006 and was convicted by the New York Court in 2008 for attempting murder of US officers stationed there. Her arrent was condemned and her acts of terrorism were celebrated by jihadist organisations in Pakistan and Afhianstan. There have been no clear links between Siddiqi and Akram, as per a report by AFP. “She has absolutely no involvement with" the taking of hostages at the synagogue and said the perpetrator is not Siddiqui's brother,” said Sddiqui’s attorney

 An individual, who has identified himself as Akram’s brother on Facebook, has condemned the attack and has apologised to the hostages who had to suffer a traumatic experience. He also requested US agencies to return the body for funeral. According to FBI special agent Matthew DeSarno, the attack was not specifically related to the threats faced by Jewish community, but the investigation will have far reaching consequences across the world, as per the same AFP report.

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Also read| Aafia Siddiqui-Pakistan born neuroscientist who became Lady Al Qaeda

 British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss tweeted: “We stand with US in defending the rights and freedoms of our citizens against those who spread hate.” The UK ambassador to the US commented that British agencies will fully cooperate with their American counterparts for swift justice.

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Rabbi Cryton-Walker commented that “without the instruction (and training) we received (from Anti-defamation league/FIB), we would not have been prepared to act and flee when the situation presented itself.” Colleyville residents were shocked to hear about the incident in their quaint town. “Colleyville ... (is) one of the safest towns in North Texas… It's mind-blowing, to be honest," said Austin Sewell to the AFP.

The congregation's Shabbat service was being streamed live and captured a man talking loudly, saying “You get my sister on the phone…I am gonna die,” reports AFP. “There's something wrong with America,” he reportedly further said.  The attack was condemned across the world as another act of anti-Semitism, including by Israel PM Neftali Bennett.  

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