Texas synagogue hostage-taker named as Briton

A man who died after taking four people hostage at a Texas synagogue has been named by the FBI as British national Malik Faisal Akram.

The 44-year-old from Blackburn was shot dead after a standoff with police in Colleyville. All of the hostages at the synagogue were freed unharmed.

Counter Terror Policing North West is assisting with the investigation being led by the US authorities.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss described the events as an ‘act of terrorism and anti-Semitism’, echoing the words of US President Joe Biden who called the hostage-taking an ‘act of terror’. The President also said that the attacker had apparently bought weapons after he landed in the US.

Meanwhile, two teenagers have been arrested in England as part of the investigation into the hostage-taking incident, with Greater Manchester Police saying that it was liaising with local communities and continuing to assist in the US inquiry.