Four hostages held in a synagogue in Texas in the United States were released safe and sound overnight from Saturday to Sunday and their captor, who was demanding the release of a Pakistani woman convicted of terrorism, died during the assault by the police.
The hostage-taking at the Synagogue in Colleyville which lasted ten hours deeply affected the Jewish community in the United States and also caused concern to the Israeli government.
“The hostage rescue team stormed the synagogue” on Saturday evening and “the suspect is dead,” local police chief Michael Miller said during a press conference.
All of the hostages — four adults — have been released unharmed, Texas Governor Greg Abbott previously announced.
FBI special agent, US Federal Police, Dallas, Matt DeSarno, said the hostages — including respected local rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker — did not need medical attention and would soon be reunited with their families. .
“He didn’t hurt them,” he said.
The FBI has opened an investigation into the kidnapper, who has been identified, said agent Matt DeSarno, without revealing the name of the deceased suspect.
Reacting to reports from some media that he was British, the British Foreign Office replied: “We are aware of the death of a British man in Texas and we are in contact with the local authorities”.
According to journalists present at the scene, a loud explosion and gunshots rang out in the synagogue just before Mr. Abbott’s announcement.
A few hours earlier, while tough negotiations were taking place between the police and the kidnapper, a first hostage had been released unharmed.
The hostage-taking took place in the synagogue of the Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, a town of about 23,000 inhabitants about 40 km from Dallas.
Police evacuated the area, but announced around 08:00 GMT on Twitter that residents could return to their homes.
” Hopeless “
The voice of a man at times agitated could be heard on the broadcast of the religious service live on Facebook, consulted by AFP before its interruption.
“There is something wrong with America”, had notably launched this man.
“I’m going to die,” he also said, repeatedly asking an unidentified caller that “his sister” be on the phone.
The suspect, according to ABC News, was calling for the release of Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani scientist sentenced in 2010 by a New York federal court to 86 years in prison for attempting to shoot US service members while detained in Afghanistan. .
Aafia Siddiqui is currently being held in a prison hospital in Fort Worth, near Dallas. Jihadist movements had in the past demanded his release.
Aafia Siddiqui “is absolutely not involved” in the hostage-taking, however, assured CNN in a statement to her lawyer. She confirmed that the man was not Mrs. Siddiqui’s brother, while ensuring that her client condemned these actions.
Experts for their part pointed out that the word used by the man in Arabic was figurative and meant “sister” in the Islamic faith.
This incident deeply affected the Jewish community in the United States.
Ellen Smith, a synagogue worshiper, described to CNN a “shocking and horrifying” situation. However, she said she was not surprised that the attack targeted the Jewish community.
“Cases of anti-Semitism have increased lately,” she said. “You almost feel hopeless.”
President Joe Biden pledged to “address anti-Semitism and the rise of extremism in the country”, praising the work of the security forces.
“This event is a stark reminder that anti-Semitism is still alive and that we must continue to fight it around the world,” Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett tweeted.
“No one should be afraid to gather in their place of worship,” said the Council on Jewish Community Relations, an organization based in San Francisco.