Nebraska synagogues being monitored after hostage standoff

Omaha Police say this is just a precaution

OMAHA, Neb. (KLKN) – The Omaha Police Department is closely monitoring local synagogues after a standoff involving hostages in Texas.

Omaha PD tweeted, “Our department is monitoring that situation and providing special attention to Omaha area synagogues as a precaution.”

According to the FBI, Malik Faisal Akram, a 44-year-old British national, was the man who held four people hostage at a synagogue in Colleyville, Texas.  He entered the synagogue around 11 a.m. on Saturday.  He then began yelling and demanding that he needed to talk to his “sister” on the phone.

Akram then took four people hostage, including a rabbi, while the rest of the congregation fled.  He held the hostages for several hours before releasing the last one around 9:30 p.m..  All four of the hostages were unharmed.   Akram was then killed after a hostage rescue team breached the building.  It has not been released whether the shot that killed Akram was self-inflicted or by a law enforcement officer.

FBI suspect that the “sister” Akram was referring to was Aafia Siddiqui, who is serving an 86-year sentence in a Texas facility after being charged in 2010 on seven charges.  Her attorney stated that Siddiqui had no connection with Akram and that she had no involvement with the hostage situation.

Authorities are still investigating Akram’s motive for taking hostages in a synagogue.  They say they have found no connection between the Jewish community and Akram’s desire to release Siddiqui, but they will continue to look for one.