One Dead As Hours-Long Texas Synagogue Standoff Ends… Governor says, Prayers Answered
Texas State governor Gregory Wayne Abbott announced in a tweet early this morning that the hostage crisis in a Jewish synagogue has finally ended with all hostages free and unharmed. This is coming after an hours-long standoff between the police and a gunman who took four hostages, including a rabbi, in a synagogue in Colleyville, Texas on Saturday night.
At about 5 pm Saturday 14th January 2022, six hours into the hostage situation at Congregation Beth Israel, one of the four hostages- a male- was released, according to the Colleyville Police Department, leaving three more in the custody of the gunman. The governor said all hostages have been freed and the suspect dead.
Governor Abbott tweeted at 10:33 pm local time that all hostages involved in the hostage/standoff crisis are “out alive and safe… prayers answered.”
The Texas Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported the tense hostage situation at Congregation Beth Israel was streamed live on Facebook before the feed was abruptly cut. According to the newspaper, the gunman could be heard repeatedly saying he did not want to see anyone hurt and that he believed he was going to die. The man could be heard in the video angrily demanding the release of his "sister" from prison while making references to Islam.
Media houses on the ground, including CNN and ABC News, said the police believe the “sister” mentioned by the gunman to be convicted terrorist Aafia Siddiqui, who is currently jailed at Carswell Air Force Base near Fort Worth, Texas. The police have not said if the the release of Aafia Siddiqui is the gunman’s sole motivation for attacking the synagogue.
Siddiqui is a Pakistani neuroscientist serving 86 years in prison for shooting at US soldiers while in custody in an Afghanistan police station. Before her imprisonment in 2010, she was on the FBI's list of most-wanted terrorists. Protests erupted across Pakistan at the time of her sentencing.
A proposed swap of Siddiqui in 2011 for jailed CIA contractor Raymond Davis fell through after American and Pakistani officials declined the proposal.
US President Joe Biden issued a statement Saturday night following the end of the standoff with police. The President thanked the "courageous work of state, local and federal law enforcement" while also "sending love and strength to the members of Congregation Beth Israel, Colleyville, and the Jewish community."
"There is more we will learn in the days ahead about the motivations of the hostage-taker. But let me be clear to anyone who intends to spread hate-we will stand against anti-Semitism and against the rise of extremism in this country.
"That is who we are, and tonight, the men and women of law enforcement made us all proud," the President said in his statement.
The synagogue crisis also caught the attention of Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett who said in a tweet that he was closely monitoring the situation, while also praying for the “safety of the hostages and the rescuers.” The Biden administration as well as the American Jewish Committee expressed “deep concerns” over the hostage crisis at Congregation Beth Israel.
The White House Secretary said in a Twitter message that President Joe Biden is keeping on top of the situation, even as security was heightened around the site of the incident. Other government officials who expressed concern over the tense hostage situation include Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson, New York Mayor Eric Adams, Texas Senator Ted Cruz and his wife, and Senator John Cornyn.
Meanwhile, Siddiqui’s family released a statement completely disassociating itself from the Congregation Beth Israel attacker. "This assailant has nothing to do with Dr. Aafia, her family, or the global campaign to get justice for Dr. Aafia," they said in a statement issued to The Daily Beast. "We want the assailant to know that his actions are wicked and directly undermine those of us who are seeking justice for Dr. Aafia." The Congregation’s rabbi is said to be among the four men held hostage at the synagogue.
Comments
Post a Comment