Malik Faisal Akram, a 44-year-old British citizen, was named as the perpetrator in Saturday's hostage-taking incident at the Congregation Beth Israel synagogue in Colleyville, Texas, the FBI announced on Sunday. Akram died as police stormed the building.
There is no indication that other individuals are involved in the case, the FBI said. However, in the early hours of Monday morning, two British teens were arrested in relation to the synagogue attack by Greater Manchester Police.
Police officers from Counter Terrorism Policing North West arrested the two teenagers, who remain in custody for questioning.
#UPDATE | Counter Terrorism Policing North West update following the events in Texas: pic.twitter.com/Q3o08bc8Js
— Greater Manchester Police (@gmpolice) January 16, 2022
Akram was from Blackburn, north of Manchester. The Blackburn Muslim Community published a statement on Facebook, saying that he was the son of Mohammed Malik Akram and had four brothers, including one who passed away in October.
The community also shared a statement by Akram's brother, Gulbar.
"We are absolutely devastated as a family," he wrote. "We can’t say much now as their is an ongoing FBI investigation. We would like to say that we as a family do not condone any of his actions and would like to sincerely apologize wholeheartedly to all the victims involved in the unfortunate incident."
Gulbar stated that Akram was suffering from mental health issues and claimed, in constrast to official accounts, that the hostages had been released and not rescued by police. There was nothing the family could have said to him or done that would have convinced him to surrender, he said.
"We would also like to add that any attack on any human being be it a Jew, Christian or Muslim etc. is wrong and should always be condemned," Gulbar said. "It is absolutely inexcusable for a Muslim to attack a Jew or for any Jew to attack a Muslim, Christian, Hindu vice versa etc. etc."
He asked that the family be granted some privacy while it grieves.
Akram reportedly demanded the release of Aafia Siddiqui, who is currently serving an 86-year prison sentence for the attempted murder of American troops and FBI agents who arrested her. It is unclear if he has any direct connection or relation to her.