Merrick Garland addresses Texas synagogue hostage situation: 'We will not tolerate this'

Attorney General Merrick Garland on Friday addressed the Jan. 15 synagogue hostage incident in Texas, saying the Justice Department will not tolerate "violence or threats of violence fueled by antisemitism."

British citizen Malik Faisal Akram, 44, took Jewish worshippers hostage at Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville last weekend during a nearly 11-hour standoff. SWAT teams eventually entered the building, and the suspect died during a shootout.

"We will not tolerate this. We will not tolerate attacks on synagogues or other houses of worship. We will not tolerate violence or threats of violence fueled by antisemitism, hatred, racism, or bigotry of any kind," Garland said during the 2022 Conference of Mayors.

Garland added that an "important part of keeping the American people safe is protecting those who serve the public from violence and unlawful threats of violence."

"We have all seen that Americans who serve and interact with the public at every level — many of whom make our democracy work every day — have been targeted with violence and threats of violence," he said. "These are our fellow citizens who administer our elections, ensure our safe travel, teach our children, report the news, represent their constituencies and keep our communities safe."

Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker told reporters that Akram knocked on the glass door of the synagogue on the morning of Jan. 15 and he let him in and made him tea. Then, during morning prayer, the rabbi said he heard a click that turned out to be a gun.

The suspect initiated a nearly 11-hour standoff and could be heard ranting on a Facebook livestream demanding the release of Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani neuroscientist known in counterterrorism circles as "Lady Al-Qaeda," who was convicted of trying to kill U. S. Army officers in Afghanistan. Akram used his phone during the course of negotiations to communicate with peopl... (Read more)

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