Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Hostages freed in Texas synagogue standoff, suspect dead

Hostages freed in Texas synagogue standoff, suspect dead

ALL FOUR people taken hostage in a more than 10-hour standoff at a Texas synagogue have been freed unharmed, police said late Saturday (15), and their suspected captor is dead.

The siege in the small Texas town of Colleyville - in which the suspect was apparently demanding the release of a convicted Pakistan prisoner - had sparked an outpouring of concern from Jewish organisations in the United States as well as from the Israeli government.

Colleyville police chief Michael Miller told a news conference that a "rescue team breached the synagogue" on Saturday (15) evening and rescued the three remaining hostages - all adults - being held inside. A first hostage had been released unharmed a few hours earlier.

"The suspect is deceased," Miller told reporters.

FBI Dallas special agent Matt DeSarno said the four hostages - who included a much-loved local rabbi, Charlie Cytron-Walker - did not need medical attention and would soon be reunited with their families.

"He did not harm them in any way," he said.

There were reports from journalists at the scene of a loud explosion and gunshots at the synagogue shortly before the press conference.

That was more than 10 hours after police were alerted to the emergency at the Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, some 25 miles (40 kilometres) west of Dallas.

Officers evacuated the synagogue's surroundings and cordoned off the area, the police force said.

ABC News reported that the hostage-taker was armed and had claimed to have bombs in unknown locations. That was not confirmed by the police although Miller said that "bomb techs are clearing the scene."

Quoting a US official briefed on the matter, ABC reported the man was demanding the release of Aafia Siddiqui - a Pakistani scientist who in 2010 was sentenced by a New York court to 86 years in prison for the attempted murder of US officers in Afghanistan.

She is currently being held at Federal Medical Center (FMC) prison in Fort Worth, Texas.

DeSarno told the news conference the suspect had been identified but did not disclose his identity.

The FBI special agent did not confirm the suspect's demands but said they were "focused on one issue that was not specifically threatening to the Jewish community" - and that he did not believe there was an ongoing threat.

ABC initially said the man claimed to be Siddiqui's brother, but later clarified her brother is in Houston - while other experts said the word the man used in Arabic was more figurative and meant "sister" in the Islamic faith.

Siddiqui's lawyer said she "has absolutely no involvement" in the hostage situation in a statement to CNN. The lawyer confirmed that the man was not Siddiqui's brother and said she condemned his actions.

DeSarno said police negotiators "had a high frequency and duration of contact with" the hostage-taker.

"There were times when it stopped for periods of time and like many hostage situations, the relationship between the negotiators and hostage-taker had been floating a little bit and sometimes got intense," he said.

“Horrifying”

A live stream of the congregation's Shabbat morning service, available on Facebook for around four hours during the standoff, appeared to capture audio of a man talking loudly - although it did not show the scene inside the building.

In it, he could be heard saying, "You get my sister on the phone," and "I am gonna die."

He was also heard saying: "There's something wrong with America."

Beth Israel congregation member Ellen Smith, who grew up going to the synagogue, described the situation as "shocking and horrifying" in a CNN interview.

She said the congregation was a "tight" community, and the rabbi in particular, was "the best human I think anyone could ever meet."

But she said it was "not shocking" the crisis occurred in a Jewish community.

"Cases of anti-Semitism have risen lately, but since Jews were first walking the Earth, we have been persecuted," she said. "It feels almost hopeless."

President Joe Biden pledged to "stand against anti-Semitism and against the rise of extremism in this country."

"I am grateful to the tireless work of law enforcement at all levels who acted cooperatively and fearlessly to rescue the hostages," he said.

"We are sending love and strength to the members of Congregation Beth Israel, Colleyville, and the Jewish community."

Israel's ambassador to the United States, Michael Herzog, said he was "grateful" all the hostages had been released safely.

"No one should ever be afraid to assemble in their place of worship," the Jewish Community Relations Council said in a statement.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations condemned the hostage situation and said it was in contact with Colleyville Jewish leaders to "provide any assistance possible."

(AFP)

More For You

Sri Lanka forms committee to address UK sanctions
Anura Kumara Dissanayake

Sri Lanka forms committee to address UK sanctions

THE Sri Lanka government on Wednesday (2) formed a committee to recommend measures regarding the UK's decision to impose sanctions on three former military commanders who led the campaign that crushed the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in 2009.

Health minister Nalinda Jayatissa told reporters that foreign minister Vijitha Herath, justice minister Harshana Nanayakkara and deputy minister of defence Aruna Jayasekara would comprise the committee that would consult experts for the purpose.

Keep ReadingShow less
Gujarat-blast-ANI

The blast caused the factory’s concrete roof to collapse, scattering debris and body parts across the area, officials confirmed. (Photo: ANI)

ANI

Death toll rises to 21 in Gujarat firework factory explosion

AN EXPLOSION at an illegal firecracker factory in Gujarat's Deesa town killed 21 people and injured several others on Tuesday, officials said.

The blast caused the factory’s concrete roof to collapse, scattering debris and body parts across the area, officials confirmed.

Keep ReadingShow less
Child benefit payments set to rise for UK families

Child benefit, normally paid every four weeks directly into bank accounts, has undergone significant changes in recent months (Photo: Getty Images)

Child benefit payments set to rise for UK families

MILLIONS of British families are set to receive a financial boost as child benefit payments increase from April 7, according to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

From next week, parents will receive £26.05 per week for the eldest or only child, amounting to £1,354.60 annually - up from the current rate of £25.60. For each additional child, payments will rise to £17.25 weekly, totalling £897 per year - an increase from the present £16.95 rate. This represents a 1.7 per cent increase across all payment categories.

Keep ReadingShow less
Anant Ambani Walks 140 Km in Spiritual Tribute on 30th Birthday

Anant’s padyatra is a reflection of the larger cultural fabric of India

Getty

Anant Ambani embarks on a 140-kilometer spiritual journey on foot to celebrate 30th birthday

Anant Ambani, a director of Reliance Industries Limited and a prominent figure in Indian industry, has chosen a unique and spiritual way to mark his 30th birthday. As part of his celebrations, he is currently undertaking a padyatra—a traditional pilgrimage on foot—from Jamnagar to Dwarka, covering a distance of approximately 140 kilometres. The journey reflects his devotion to Lord Dwarkadhish, the presiding deity of the Dwarkadhish Temple in the city of Dwarka.

Anant began his journey from his family’s residence in Moti Khavdi, Jamnagar, and has been progressing steadily for the past five days. Walking an estimated 10-12 kilometres each night, he travels under the protection of Z+ security and local police, ensuring his safety during this significant journey. The padyatra is expected to take between seven to nine days in total, with plans to conclude at the Dwarkadhish Temple in time for his birthday on April 10.

Keep ReadingShow less
New TB action plan proposed as cases surge

Government urged experts to come forward to help draw up a new five-year TB action plan. (Photo: Getty Images)

New TB action plan proposed as cases surge

BRITAIN on Wednesday (2) urged health experts and sufferers of tuberculosis (TB) to come forward to help draw up a new five-year action plan as it deals with record rises in the disease.

In 2023, England recorded its largest annual increase (11 per cent) in cases since enhanced surveillance began in 2000.

Keep ReadingShow less