Texas Synagogue Hostage-Taker Reportedly Said He 'Wished He Was Among 9/11 Terrorists'

During an 11-hour hostage situation at a synagogue in Colleyville, Faisal Akram demanded the release of female terrorist Aafia Siddiqu and called himself her brother.

The British man shot dead after taking people hostage in the Congregation Beth Israel synagogue in the suburb of Dallas, Texas allegedly told court staff he wished he had been among the 9/11 terrorists shortly after the attacks, the Lancashire Telegraph reported on Monday.

According to a letter from the Blackburn Magistrates' Court cited by the paper, Faisal Akram told the court staff the next day after the attacks on the World Trade Centre in New York he wished he was on the plane attacking the towers.

"Once again you were threatening and abusive towards court staff. In a clear reference to the terrorist attack on New York the previous day you said on more than one occasion to one of my court ushers 'you should have been on the f***ing plane...This caused a great deal of distress to an individual who was simply doing his job and should not be subjected to your foul abuse," a letter sent to Akram by the court reads.

After the incident, Akram was banned from entering the court complex and was warned that if he did he would be detained and face a fine or prison.

Akram denied having said this at the time: "I'm innocent. This is nothing to do with me because I didn't say that. People at the court have just got it in for me because they don't like me," he told reporters.

Police have not yet commented on any of his previous offences. As an investigation into the synagogue hostage crisis continues, Akram is believed to have travelled to the US two weeks prior to the attack.

The UK has promised its "full support" to US investigators after the attacker was identified as a British citizen.

Akram entered the Congregation Beth Israel synagogue in Dallas during a service on Saturday and took a rabbi and three more people hostage. During an 11-hour-long siege, Akram's relatives and FBI officers tried to persuade him to surrender but in vain. Akram demanded the release of jailed female terrorist Aafia Siddiqu, aka Lady Al Qaeda, who was convicted for attempting to kill US military personnel in Afghanistan, and that she be brought to the synagogue so they could both "die together." He agreed to release one of his hostages and two more managed to escape. Akram was shot when police stormed the synagogue and later died of his wounds.