The hostage-taker, who claims to be the brother of terrorist Aafia Siddiqui, has been killed by the security forces in the rescue operation. He was demanding Siddiqui’s release.
Four Jews were taken hostage in a synagogue by a man in Colleyville, Texas, USA, on Saturday (January 15). The hostage-taker was demanding the release of convicted terrorist Aafia Siddiqui.
Hindi news channel NDTV India called the hostage-taker a ‘sirfira’ (madcap). It did not even tell the readers that Aafia Siddiqui is infamous as ‘Lady al Qaeda’.
A U.S. official told the press that the hostage-taker had claimed to be the brother of Pakistani neuroscientist Aafia Siddiqui, who is infamous as ‘Lady al Qaeda’ and serving an 86-year U.S. prison sentence for her 2010 conviction for shooting at soldiers and FBI agents, and that he is demanding her release.
The hostage situation was such that FBI Hostage Rescue Team stormed the synagogue to save the lives of the hostages, which included the Rabbi.
Exactly two months back, on November 15, CAIR (Council on American Islamic Relations) had organised programmes in Texas demanding the release of convicted terrorists.
In a Facebook post, CAIR had said, “Today, our Texas chapter and coalition partners held a press conference at our D.C. headquarters calling for the release of Dr Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani neuroscientist and mother of 3 currently being unjustly held in a Texas prison.”
It is the same CAIR which was one of the supporters/organisers of the Hindumisia conference ‘Dismantling Global Hindutva’. After massive protests, many universities withdrew themselves from this deeply Hinduphobic conference.
In a statement, U.S. President Joe Biden said, “There is more we will learn in the days ahead about the motivations of the hostage taker. But let me be clear to anyone who intends to spread hate—we will stand against anti-Semitism and against the rise of extremism in this country.”
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