Two More Men Arrested in UK Over Texas Synagogue Standoff

LONDON (Sputnik) - Two more men have been arrested in Manchester, northern England, as part of the ongoing investigation into the attack carried out by a British citizen against a synagogue in Texas on 15 January, the UK counter-terror police said on Wednesday.

"As part of the local investigation, two men have been arrested this morning in Manchester. They remain in custody for questioning," the Counter Terrorism Policing North West division said in a statement.

On January 15, a man who was later identified as British citizen Malik Faisal Akram took four people hostage in the Congregation Beth Israel synagogue in Colleyville, Texas, during Sabbath services.

After a standoff that lasted for several hours, the hostages managed to escape and Akram, who had reportedly arrived in the United States via New York City’s JFK International Airport two weeks earlier, was shot dead by the police.

US media reported that the hostage-taker claimed to be the brother of convicted terrorist Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani woman who allegedly had ties to al-Qaeda (terrorist group, banned in Russia). He was reportedly demanding freedom for his sister, who is serving an 86-year sentence in a US federal prison for trying to kill American officers in Afghanistan.

On 20 January, the UK counter-terror announced the arrest of two men in Manchester and Birmingham as part of the investigation into the events in Texas.