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The FBI identified the British citizen this Sunday Malik Faisal Akram what Responsible for taking hostages at a synagogue in Texas, while the investigation into the incident has expanded to the UK and Israel.
Akram, 44, He died dejectedly Four hostages were released unharmed Saturday night at a synagogue in Colleyville, Texas, about ten hours after the kidnapping took place at a place of worship.
In a statement, the office Dallas FBI Akram was identified and assured there was “no indication that anyone else was involved,” but did not elaborate on what led to the suspect’s abduction of someone attending a religious service at a synagogue on Saturday.
Shortly before the FBI announcement, the UK government said in a statement that it was “aware of the death of a British citizen in Texas” and was “contacting local authorities”.
Republican Congressman Michael McCallThe FBI, which is part of the U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee, said on Sunday that the agency had “expanded its investigation to London and Tel Aviv.”
“This has become an international investigation,” McCall told CNN.
America president, Joe Biden, on Sunday assured he had no details on what led the suspect to act, revealing that Akram “supposedly bought on the street” the weapon he possessed.
“This was an act of terrorism,” Biden stressed in a statement to the media after his arrival in Philadelphia, where he volunteered with the first lady over the holiday season. Martin Luther King, which happened this Monday.
Biden assured that he had spoken to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland about the importance of sending the message that “synagogues and places of worship” would not “condone” such attacks.
In hours of negotiations with FBI agents, the suspects demanded the release of Pakistani scientist Aafia Siddiqui, who is serving a sentence in Texas. 86 years in prison Tried to kill U.S. soldiers and agents while detained in Afghanistan.
Although in those conversations he claimed to be Siddiqui’s brother, the prisoner’s lawyer, Marva Erbili, later ruled out any family relationship between the two and condemned Akram’s actions.
The FBI agent in charge of the operation, Matthew Desano, Akram’s motives appeared to be solely to secure Sidiqqui’s release, and that his actions did not appear to be “specifically related to the Jewish community,” he told a news conference Saturday night.
But nonetheless, not rule out investigation In a separate statement that could eventually lead them to other conclusions, Biden and U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris condemned any “anti-Semitic” behavior in the country.
One of the four hostages was Rabbi Charlie Setron Walker of Beth Israel Congregation Synagogue, who expressed his “gratitude for being alive” on his Facebook account on Sunday.