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SWAT members deploy close to the Congregation Beth Israel Synagogue in Colleyville, Texas
Colleyville, United States:
Hostage negotiators had been locked in a tense standoff Saturday at a Texas synagogue the place a person apparently demanding the discharge of a convicted terrorist had taken a number of captives, police and media stated.
Over eight hours into the disaster, police in Colleyville, Texas stated one of many hostages had been launched round 5:00 pm (2300 GMT) “unhurt” however an unconfirmed variety of captives remained within the synagogue.
“This man shall be reunited together with his household as quickly as attainable and he doesn’t require medical consideration,” a police assertion stated.
With particulars nonetheless unclear, however studies rising the synagogue’s rabbi and not less than two others had been being held, the standoff sparked an outpouring of concern from Jewish organizations round the USA, in addition to from the Israeli authorities.
Police stated they had been alerted to an emergency Saturday morning on the Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, some 25 miles (40 kilometers) west of Dallas, with studies circulating shortly that it was a hostage scenario.
ABC Information reported that the hostage-taker was armed and had claimed to have bombs in unknown places.
Quoting a US official briefed on the matter, ABC reported the person was demanding the discharge of Aafia Siddiqui, who has been dubbed “Girl Qaeda” by US tabloids.
ABC initially stated the person claimed to be Siddiqui’s brother, however then later clarified her brother is in Houston, citing the brother’s lawyer.
Different specialists stated the phrase the person utilized in Arabic was extra figurative and meant “sister” within the Islamic religion.
Siddiqui, a former Pakistani scientist, was in 2010 sentenced by a New York court docket to 86 years in jail for tried homicide of US officers in Afghanistan. The high-profile case sparked outrage in Pakistan.
She is at present being held at Federal Medical Middle (FMC) jail in Fort Price, Texas.
A stay stream of the congregation’s Shabbat morning service on Fb appeared to seize audio of a person speaking loudly — though it didn’t present the scene contained in the constructing.
In it, he could possibly be heard saying, “You get my sister on the telephone,” and “I’m gonna die.”
He was additionally heard saying: “There’s one thing mistaken with America.”
The stream started at 10:00 am (1600 GMT) and stopped broadcasting simply earlier than 2:00 pm.
Colleyville police stated in a tweet at 11:30 am (1730 GMT) that it was “conducting SWAT operations” on the tackle of the Congregation Beth Israel.
Prayers
US President Joe Biden has been briefed “on the growing hostage scenario,” White Home Press Secretary Jen Psaki stated on Twitter.
FBI brokers had been additionally on the scene, in line with an AFP journalist.
Additionally current had been Colleyville fireplace and rescue vehicles, Dallas police and police from the close by metropolis of Southlake.
Colleyville police stated FBI Disaster Negotiators had been “in communication with the topic,” including there have been no accidents amongst these trapped contained in the synagogue.
The police and metropolis authorities didn’t instantly reply to requests for data from AFP.
Texas governor Greg Abbott described the scenario as “tense” on Twitter.
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett stated Israel was “intently monitoring” the hostage scenario.
“We pray for the security of the hostages and rescuers,” he wrote on Twitter.
Israel’s Overseas Minister Yair Lapid tweeted that the Israeli consul in Houston was on her solution to the scene.
The Jewish Neighborhood Relations Council stated they had been praying for a “swift and secure decision.”
“Nobody ought to ever be afraid to assemble of their place of worship,” the group stated in a press release.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations condemned the hostage scenario and stated it was involved with Colleyville Jewish leaders to “present any help attainable.”
Rabbi Joseph Potasnik, the chief vp of the New York Board of Rabbis, stated he was grateful to have acquired calls from folks of all non secular backgrounds expressing concern over the scenario and hope for a peaceable final result.
However he warned that the violence wouldn’t cease with the synagogue.
“The one that hates me in the present day goes to hate you tomorrow. So it might begin with Jews. It does not cease with Jews,” he instructed CNN.
(Apart from the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is printed from a syndicated feed.)
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