The FBI confirmed today (Sunday) that the kidnapper at the Kehilat Israel Synagogue in Couliwal, Texas is Malik Faisal Akram, 44, a resident of Blackburn in the north of England and a British citizen. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced this morning that all hostages had been released unharmed after eight hours in which they were being held. Neighbors of the kidnapper told Maariv that he lost his brother from Corona about three months ago. It was also reported that he was known in the community as suffering from mental health issues.
Another brother of Malik, Golber Akram, shared on social media that Malik suffered from mental health problems. Gulber wrote: “With great sorrow, I confirm that my brother Faisal passed away this morning in Texas. The family is completely devastated. We can not say much, as the FBI investigation is underway. We would like to apologize to all the victims involved in the unfortunate incident.”
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Bennett spoke with Greg Abbott today in the wake of the incident and wrote on his Twitter account: The BDS) “.
British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss referred to the incident as “an act of terrorism and anti-Semitism”. Truss added: “We stand by the United States in defending the rights and freedoms of our citizens against those who spread hatred.”
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???????? — UPDATE: The FBI Dallas Field Office has confirmed the identity of the #Colleyville synagogue hostage taker as British citizen Malik Faisal Akram, age 44. pic.twitter.com/L4VBTJWCRx
— Belaaz News (@TheBelaaz) January 16, 2022
The FBI said there was currently no indication that others were involved, and that no explosives had been found on the attacker’s body. U.S. police reported that Malik arrived in the U.S. about two weeks ago through New York’s JFK Airport and spent the first night in a homeless shelter.
As stated, around 2:30 Israel time, one of the abductees was released and this morning, as mentioned, the rest were also released, including the rabbi of the community. Meanwhile, Texas police announced that the kidnapper had been killed. U.S. media reported that Malik broke into the synagogue, apparently during a bar mitzvah celebration held at the venue, and took at least four people hostage, including the synagogue rabbi, according to an official in the law enforcement system. Malik was also reported to be armed. And that there are a number of explosive devices in place that will explode if he is killed.
The FBI has been in talks with the kidnapper over the night, apparently because of the motive behind the abduction, which is to release the convicted terrorist Aifa Sidik. She is serving an 86-year prison sentence in Texas that she was sentenced to in 2010, after a New York court ruled she was guilty of attempted murder and assaulting American soldiers who had served in a military base in Afghanistan.
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