Two males have been arrested in Manchester as a part of the investigation into the Texas synagogue assault by a British hostage-taker earlier this month.
Malik Faisal Akram, 44, from Blackburn, was shot dead by an FBI SWAT team that entered the place of worship on 15 January following a 10-hour standoff.
On Wednesday, Counter Terrorism Policing North West mentioned in a press release: “As a part of the native investigation, two males have been arrested this morning in Manchester.
“They continue to be in custody for questioning.”
Akram, from Blackburn, held 4 folks hostage through the incident, however they were released unharmed.
Bought ‘stolen gun’
Final week, it emerged that Akram arrived in the US at Kennedy Airport in New York on 29 December and was questioned by customs officers, however as there have been no pink flags within the system he was allowed to enter the nation, in keeping with NBC.
He had instructed members of the family he wished to get married and was going to go to Texas to discover a Mexican bride.
Akram was shot {dead} after a 10-hour siege
After two days he requested family in Britain for extra money to get to Texas and took a flight to Dallas Fort Value on New Years’ Eve, the broadcaster mentioned.
He stayed in homeless shelters within the Dallas space within the days earlier than the assault on Saturday, and is known to have bought a gun on the streets which had been stolen in 2020.
Akram demanded launch of al Qaeda suspect
Through the standoff with police in Colleyville, Akram demanded the discharge of Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani neuroscientist who’s suspected of getting ties to al Qaeda and was convicted of making an attempt to kill US troops in Afghanistan.
The jail the place Siddiqui is serving her sentence is in close by Fort Value.
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Second hostages escape gunman at Texas synagogue
The standoff ended when the final of the hostages ran out of the synagogue, and an FBI SWAT crew rushed in and shot Akram {dead}.
Akram is understood to have been investigated by MI5 within the second half of 2020, but it surely has emerged that he was not believed to have been on the US Terrorist Screening Database.
His household has additionally said he was “suffering from mental health issues” earlier than the assault.