The siege took place on Saturday.
Two teenagers in the UK have been arrested in connection with a British gunman’s 10-hour siege of a synagogue in Texas, USA.
Malik Faisal Akram, from Blackburn in Lancashire, was shot dead on Saturday following a standoff with a SWAT team during which he warned: “If anyone tries to enter this building, I’m telling you… everyone will die.”
Video from the scene showed people running out of a door at the Congregation Beth Israel synagogue in Colleyville, a suburb of Dallas.
A man holding a gun then opened it only to turn around and shut it. Seconds later, rounds of gunfire could be heard, followed by an explosion.
According to the Mirror, the siege began after Akram, 44, stormed into a meeting at the synagogue and demanded the release of a neuroscientist suspected of having ties to al Qaida being held in a US jail.
All four hostages were released unharmed, with the one fatality being the gunman.
BBC News reports that Akram’s brother Gulbar confirmed his death in a statement posted to the Blackburn Muslim Community’s Facebook page, in which he apologised to the victims and said his brother had been suffering from mental health issues.
The family is said to have been “devastated” by Saturday’s events and spent hours cooperating with the FBI to try and secure a peaceful resolution to the standoff.
UK officials are working with US authorities on the investigation into the incident, which was dubbed an “act of terror” by US President Joe Biden.
On Sunday, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) announced that two arrests had been made in south Manchester by officers from the Counter Terror Policing North West.
Though the ages and genders of the pair have not yet been specified, police confirmed they are both teenagers.
GMP said the two were arrested “as part of the ongoing investigation into the attack” and are being held in custody for questioning.
In a statement Greater Manchester Police said: “CTP North West and CTP International operations continues to assist the investigation being led by the US authorities, and police forces in the region are liaising with local communities to put in place any measures to provide further reassurance.”
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