London – the family of a British gunman Four people held hostage in the synagogue Texas apologizes for his actions, but says there was nothing they could do to get him to surrender during the incident.
Malik Faisal Akram, a 44-year-old man from Lancashire, northeastern England, was named by the FBI as a gunman four people held hostage Church in Kalivil about 10 hours on Saturday in Beth Israel.
All the hostages narrowly escaped. Officials said Akram died during the standoff, but did not provide further details.
The hostage-taker’s brother, Gulbar Akram, said in a statement to Sky News that his family tried to assist the authorities in negotiations during the standoff. According to Sky, the family said, Akram was “suffering from mental health issues”.
In a statement, Gulbar Akram apologized to the hostages on behalf of the family, saying, “There was nothing we could have said or done that would have persuaded him to surrender.”
“We are completely devastated as a family,” his statement read.
“Any attack on any human being is wrong and should always be condemned,” the statement said.
Akram demands release during standoff Afia Siddiqui, a federal prisoner being held in North Texas after being convicted in 2010 of attempting to kill American soldiers in Afghanistan. But it has not been firmly established what else might have inspired him and why he chose the synagogue at Collyville.
Around the world, the attack was increasingly marked by terrorism and anti-Semitic action.
British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss condemned the attack, calling President Joe Biden’s comments “an act of terror”. truss tweeted on Sunday that his thoughts were with the Jewish community and all those affected by the “horrific act” in Texas.
A spokesman for British Prime Minister Boris Johnson also said on Monday that the attack was “a terrible and anti-Semitic act of terrorism”, according to Reuters.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Benedetto called the attack “A stark reminder that anti-Semitism is still alive.”
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The standoff also inspired messages of solidarity and condemnation from Muslim leaders in the UK
The head of Britain’s Muslim Council, Britain’s largest national Muslim umbrella organization with over 500 members, called the incident “totally unacceptable”.
“The act is all the more reprehensible because it was instigated at a place of worship where Jews were targeted,” council secretary general Zara Mohamed said in a statement.
“It was, quite simply, a hate crime and an anti-Semitic act,” she said.
Mohammed said the suspect’s actions were far less than what would be expected of a Muslim.
British officials said two teenagers were detained in England on Sunday and are being held for questioning. He did not release his identity, but a senior law enforcement official told NBC News that Kishor is Akram’s son.
The FBI has said that Akram acted alone, and there is no indication that the sons are suspects.