World

More UK arrests over US synagogue attack

By AAP Newswire

Jan 26, 2022

Texas Synagogue Standoff Services — The siege occurred when UK man Malik Faisal Akram took four people hostage at a Texas synagogue. -AP

British police have arrested two men in the northern UK city of Manchester as part of a US investigation into a hostage taking at a synagogue in Texas earlier in January.

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British police had previously said they had arrested four people over the incident: two teenagers in Manchester plus one man in Birmingham and another man in Manchester.

The teenagers have been released without charge.

The day-long siege occurred on January 15 when British man Malik Faisal Akram, 44, took four people hostage at a synagogue in Colleyville, northeast of Fort Worth, Texas.

Akram, who was originally from Lancashire, as federal agents stormed the temple while the four hostages were released unharmed.

FBI director Christopher Wray called the stand-off an antisemitic incident, while US President Joe Biden said it was an "act of terror".

Akram - understood to have a criminal record - was investigated by MI5 in 2020 but deemed not to be a credible threat to national security at the time, official sources previously confirmed to the PA news agency.

It's not yet clear how he was able to travel to the US despite his UK criminal record.

Reuters with PA

By AAP Newswire

Australian Associated Press