Attorney General Merrick Garland on Friday addressed the Jan. 15 synagogue crime” target=”_blank”>hostage<, saying the justice-department” target=”_blank”>Justice Department< citizen Malik Faisal Akram, 44, took anti-semitism” target=”_blank”>Jewish worshippers<
“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.
An aerial view of police standing in front of the Congregation Beth Israel synagogue, Sunday, Jan. 16, 2022, in Colleyville, Texas.
(AP Photo/Brandon Wade)
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 people other than law enforcement, The Associated Press reported.
MALIK FAISAL AKRAM: WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT TEXAS SYNAGOGUE HOSTAGE SUSPECT
Cytron-Walker said he drew from his past hostage training during the incident, deciding in the last hour to first make sure the other hostages were ready to run before the rabbi suddenly hurled a chair at the suspect.
TEXAS SYNAGOGUE HOSTAGE CRISIS IS A ‘TERRORISM-RELATED MATTER,’ FBI SAYS
Investigators continue to determine how Akram – who had a crime” target=”_blank”>criminal<
The attorney general’s remarks also seemingly referenced a memo put out by DOJ in the fall addressing a federal response to violence and intimidation of school board officials, which caused blowback on the department after it was discovered a letter by the National School Boards Association had inspired it.
Garland didn’t specifically mention the school board controversy on Friday, but he doubled down on his prior language, saying threatening to harm or kill a public servant is not protected by the First Amendment.
Fox News’ David Spunt, Danielle Wallace and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
