Texas: All hostages at synagogue rescued safely after armed man demanded launch of ‘Lady Al Qaeda’ Aafia Siddiqui of Pakistan origin

A rabbi and a number of other worshippers have been held hostage by a person at Congregation Beth Israel synagogue in Colleyville, Texas. Reports urged he had demanded to launch Aafia Siddiqui from the federal jail. The FBI negotiators have been known as to manage the state of affairs. The Police have been knowledgeable in regards to the state of affairs at round 10:41 AM (native time). As reported by native media Star Telegram, the hostage taker is now lifeless.
49-year-old Siddiqui, often known as woman al-Qaida, is at the moment lodged in a jail FMC Carswell in Fort Worth, Texas, for an tried assassination of US officers in Afghanistan. She was convicted in 2010. The jail the place Siddiqui is being held is barely 15 miles away from the synagogue.
#UPDATE| According to legislation enforcement officers, hostage-taker demanding launch of Pakistani scientist Aafia Siddiqui, who was convicted of making an attempt to kill US army officers whereas in custody in Afghan. Siddiqui is at the moment being held at FMC Carswell, a federal jail in Texas— ANI (@ANI) January 15, 2022
Jen Psaki, Spokesperson, White House, stated, “The President has been briefed about the developing hostage situation in the Dallas area. He will continue to receive updates from his senior team as the situation develops. Senior members of the national security team are also in touch with federal law enforcement leadership.”
.@POTUS has been briefed in regards to the growing hostage state of affairs within the Dallas space. He will proceed to obtain updates from his senior staff because the state of affairs develops. Senior members of the nationwide safety staff are additionally in contact with federal legislation enforcement management.— Jen Psaki (@PressSec) January 15, 2022
I’m carefully monitoring the hostage state of affairs happening in Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas.We pray for the security of the hostages and rescuers.— Naftali Bennett בנט (@naftalibennett) January 15, 2022
Naftali Bennett, Prime Minister, Israel, stated he was carefully monitoring the state of affairs. He stated, “I am closely monitoring the hostage situation taking place in Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas. We pray for the safety of the hostages and rescuers.”
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has confirmed that each one hostages are rescued and free.
Prayers answered. All hostages are out alive and secure.— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) January 16, 2022
“Prayers answered. All hostages are out alive and safe,” he tweeted.
Initial audio captured throughout morning Shabbat service
The preliminary audio of the incident was captured throughout the morning Shabbat service that was being live-streamed by the synagogue on Facebook. In the audio, the person was heard shouting angrily. At the time of the incident, there have been at the least 4 hostages, together with the rabbi on the time of the incident.
One hostage launched
At round 5 PM (native time), one male hostage was launched. The FBI disaster negotiators have been nonetheless speaking with the hostage-taker. The launched hostage was reportedly unhurt.
#UPDATE | “A hostage was released uninjured,” stated the Colleyville police division in a press release.— ANI (@ANI) January 16, 2022
Katie Chaumont, an FBI spokesperson, stated the close by residents across the synagogue had been evacuated. There was no data from the FBI if the person was armed or not.
The arrest of Aafia Siddiqui
In 2008, Aafia Siddiqui, who hails from Pakistan, was detained by Afghan authorities. According to the Department of Justice, they’d discovered a lot of objects in her possession, together with handwritten notes that talked about a mass-casualty assault. There was an inventory of assorted places reminiscent of Plum Island, the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, Wall Street, and the Brooklyn Bridge within the US, together with within the objects.
According to DoJ, she was being held in an unsecured method when she grabbed a rifle from a US Army personnel and fired it on the officers interviewing her. An FBI agent and a US Army officer have been injured. She was convicted in 2010 and at the moment serving an 86-year jail sentence. Her supporters from Pakistan consider she is harmless and a sufferer of the American conflict on terror.
On totally different events, the Taliban and Islamic State had sought her launch in change for American and European hostages. One of the notable commerce affords was of journalist James Foley who was captured in Syria and later beheaded in August 2014. In July 2014, ISIS supplied the discharge of Kayla Mueller, a 22-year-old girl who was kidnapped in Syria, in change of Siddiqui.
Siddiqui did her commencement and PhD from the US in behavioural neuroscience. Reports counsel she labored as a courier for Khalid Sheikh Muhammad, who was the principle accused of the 9/11 assaults. After 9/11, Siddiqui had returned to Pakistan along with her first husband and youngsters. When she tried to assist Taliban terrorists close to the Pakistan-Afghan border, her husband disapproved, resulting in their divorce in 2002.
Pakistan has additionally come ahead in her assist. In September 2021, Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi, particular Aide to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Interreligious Harmony and the Middle East, had sought early launch of Siddiqui on the pretext of an alleged assault on her in jail. Pakistan’s ambassador to the US, Masood Khan had additionally prolonged assist for Siddiqui.