During a service at a synagogue in Texas, a man takes several hostages. For hours, the situation was completely unclear. Then a man is released unharmed. But others are still in danger. What is behind the fact?
Emergency responders are gathering near a Texas synagogue where a man has held several hostages since Saturday (local time).
(dpa)
A man took several hostages in a synagogue in the American state of Texas on Saturday, triggering a large-scale police operation. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott spoke of a “tense hostage situation” in the city of Colleyville near Dallas. A male hostage was released unharmed early Saturday evening (local time). According to Abbott, three other people were still in the hostage-taker’s power.
There was initially no official information about the possible background to the crime. According to media reports, he is said to have called for the release of Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani who is being held for allegedly trying to kill American soldiers in Afghanistan.
The police in Colleyville, a city of 26,000, said officials were called to the synagogue address on Saturday morning (local time). Houses in the immediate vicinity were evacuated. So far there have been no injuries. The Federal Police FBI is involved in the operation and is in contact with the hostage-taker. The freedman was unharmed and did not require medical treatment. FBI specialists continued to negotiate with the kidnapper.
Abbott wrote on Twitter after the release of the first hostage: “Prayers have been answered.” Now there are three hostages. A large contingent of police and special forces around the synagogue could be seen on footage from the CNN television station.
Prayers are being answered.
One of the hostages in the synagogue has been released uninjured.
3 more to go.
I talked with the Colleyville Mayor and offered the full assistance of the State of Texas. pic.twitter.com/y0g3gXgRbC
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) January 16, 2022
The local newspaper “Fort Worth Star Telegram” reported that the service in the synagogue on Saturday morning was broadcast live on the community’s Facebook page. There the voice of an angry man could be heard, who had scolded and cursed and talked about religion, among other things. The man said several times that he didn’t want to hurt anyone and that he believed he was going to die, the newspaper continued.
White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki wrote on Twitter that US President Joe Biden had been briefed on the hostage-taking in Texas and would continue to be briefed on the situation. Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett tweeted that he was closely monitoring the situation in Colleyville and was praying for the safety of the hostages and responders.
.@POTUS has been briefed about the developing hostage situation in the Dallas area. He will continue to receive updates from his senior team as the situation develops. Senior members of the national security team are also in touch with federal law enforcement leadership.
— Jen Psaki (@PressSec) January 15, 2022
Authorities in other American cities, including New York and Los Angeles, said they had increased their presence at synagogues and other Jewish institutions as a precaution in light of the hostage-taking in Colleyville.