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Terrorism
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Joe Biden condemns ‘act of terror’ as UK man named as Texas hostage-taker

  • UK suspect Malik Faisal Akram died in hostage stand-off at Texas synagogue
  • US President Joe Biden says suspect bought guns on street for ‘act of terror’

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A police vehicle near the Congregation Beth Israel synagogue in Colleyville, Texas. Photo: TNS
Agence France-Presse
The man who held four people hostage at a Texas synagogue was identified by US authorities as a British citizen Sunday while UK police later arrested two teens over an attack that President Joe Biden called an “act of terror”.
The captor, who died in the 10-hour siege in the small town of Colleyville on Saturday, was named by the FBI as 44-year-old Malik Faisal Akram.

Hours later, Britain’s counter terrorism police arrested two people and were questioning them in connection with the incident.

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“Two teenagers were detained in South Manchester this evening. They remain in custody,” the Greater Manchester Police said in a statement.

The FBI’s field office in Dallas had earlier said there was “no indication” that anyone else was involved in the attack on the Congregation Beth Israel synagogue.

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The four hostages – including a respected local rabbi, Charlie Cytron-Walker – were all freed unharmed Saturday night, prompting relief in the United States, where the Jewish community and Biden renewed calls to fight anti-Semitism.

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