two teenagers arrested in Manchester over Texas synagogue siege

The family of a 44-year-old British Muslim man who was shot dead by police in Texas after launching a terror attack on a synagogue last night demanded to know how he was allowed into America despite a long criminal record.

Malik Faisal Akram, from Blackburn, died in a hail of bullets after a 10-hour stand-off on Saturday in which four people were held hostage at the Congregation Beth Israel synagogue in Colleyville, 27 miles from Dallas.

Akram had apparently flown to America two weeks ago, lived in homeless shelters and bought a gun on the street, reports said.

He was described by his family as suffering 'mental health issues' but concerns over a wider plot grew last night as two teenagers were arrested over the incident by anti-terror officers in south Manchester.

The pair, both believed to be under 18, cannot be identified for legal reasons. They were still in custody overnight, Greater Manchester Police said.

However the FBI's field office in Dallas had earlier said there was 'no indication' that anyone else was involved in what President Joe Biden called 'an act of terror'.

Malik's brother Gulbar issued a statement on behalf of the family last night in which he told of their 'devastation' and revealed how relatives had been in contact with Malik during his attack at the police's request but could not convince him to surrender.

But speaking to Sky News he also demanded to know how the incident had been allowed to unfold.

'He's known to police. Got a criminal record. How was he allowed to get a visa and acquire a gun?,' the channel quoted him as saying.

Malik Faisal Akram, 44, (pictured) was shot dead by the FBI's elite Hostage Rescue Team after holding four hostages for more than 10 hours at Congregation Beth Israel synagogue in Colleyville, Texas on Saturday

Hostage taker runs after the hostages, and goes back inside. Shortly after, police storm https://t.co/E6ekwu4nSX — Amichai Stein (@AmichaiStein1) January 16, 2022

A post shared on social media asked for forgiveness for British terrorist Faisal Akram, 44, who was shot dead by an FBI SWAT team after a 10-hour armed stand-off at a synagogue in Colleyville, Texas

US President Joe Biden described Akram's actions as an 'act of terror' during a visit to a Philadelphia food bank on Sunday

One of the hostages at the Congregation Beth Israel in, Colleyville, Texas, was released and taken to his family. Authorities have said all hostages are now out and safe after the terrorist was shot

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss took to Twitter to condemn the 'appalling act of terrorism and anti-Semitism in Texas'. Ms Truss added: 'We stand with US in defending the rights and freedoms of our citizens against those who spread hate'

The standoff is taking place at the Congregation Beth Israel, in Colleyville, just 27 miles from Dallas

In his online statement posted hours earlier, Gulbar wrote: 'It is with great, great sadness I will confirm my brother Faisal passed away in Texas, USA this morning.

President Joe Biden says hostage situation at Texas synagogue was an 'act of terror'

President Joe Biden said on Sunday that a gunman who disrupted a religious service in a synagogue in Colleyville, Texas and took four people hostage had engaged in an 'act of terror.'

'This was an act of terror; it was an act of terror,' Biden said of the Saturday incident.

He added that there was not sufficient information on why the gunman had targeted the synagogue. Biden indicated that he would have more to say and more information to share during his planned Wednesday press conference

The president spoke to reporters as he and First Lady Jill Biden volunteered packing carrots and apples at a Philadelphia-area food bank to honor the legacy of slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.

An FBI Hostage Rescue Team stormed the synagogue on Saturday night to free the remaining three hostages; one other hostage had been freed earlier.

Earlier on Sunday the agency identified the suspect as 44-year-old Malik Faisal Akram, a British national from the town of Blackburn in England.

He was shot dead by federal law enforcement officials who stormed the synagogue at the end of a 10-hour stand-off. Biden gave additional details about Akram during brief remarks at the Philabundance food bank.

'I don't have all the facts and neither does the Attorney General, but allegedly the assertion was he got the weapons on the street, that he purchased them when he landed,' Biden said.

'And it turns out there were apparently no bombs that we know of, even though he said that there were bombs there as well.

'He apparently spent the first night in a homeless shelter — I don't have all the details, so I'm reluctant to go into much more detail, but allegedly he purchased it on the street. What that means, I don't know if he purchased it from an individual in the homeless shelter or a homeless community.'

Biden said he has yet to contact Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker, who was leading the Sabbath service and was among Akram's four hostages.

'I'll put a call into the Rabbi. We missed one another on the way up here, but rest assured, we are focused. We are focused,' the president said.

'The attorney general is focused that we deal with these kinds of acts. And thank God we had such professional FBI as well as local cooperation. I was told it was incredible, so I just wanted to let you know that.'

Asked if the incident meant a new push to restrict firearm access, Biden said: 'The idea of background checks are critical, but you can't stop something like this if someone is on the street buying something from somebody else on the street.'

He indicated he would have more to say at his upcoming Wednesday press conference.

'We are absolutely devastated as a family. We can't say much now as there 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.

'Sitting in the incident room all last night at Greenbank [Police Station in Blackburn] until the early hours liaising with Faisal, the negotiators, FBI etc.

'And although my brother was suffering from mental health issues we were confident that he would not harm the hostages.

'There was nothing we could have said to him or done that would have convinced him to surrender.

'Obviously our priority will be to get him back to the UK for his funeral prayers although we have been warned it could take weeks.

'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.

'It is absolutely inexcusable for a Muslim to attack a Jew or for any Jew to attack a Muslim, Christian, Hindu vice versa etc.'

A later post shared on Facebook by Blackburn Muslim Community pleaded for patience and respect for the family. The statement read: 'Faisal Akram has sadly departed from this temporary world and returned to his Creator.

'May the Almighty forgive all his sins and bless him with the highest ranks of Paradise. May Allah give strength and patience to his loved ones in dealing with their loss.'

Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker (top) was one of four being held hostage by Akram, who claimed to be the brother of convicted terrorist Aafia Siddiqui (bottom) known as Lady Al Qaeda

Biden indicated that he would have more to say and more information to share during his planned Wednesday press conference

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