RT.com
16 Jan 2022, 23:42 GMT+10
The gunman who held four people hostage in Colleyville had demanded freedom for a Pakistani prisoner dubbed ?Lady Al-Qaeda?
President Joe Biden said Saturday's hostage situation at a Texas synogoguewas an "act of terror." He added they were still learning about the now-deceased suspect's motives.
The president made his comments while at an event commemorating Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Sunday.
The president said he has been briefed on the situation by Attorney General Merrick Garland and they are working to address "these types of acts." He added that he has spoken to the rabbi who was among the captives.
Biden also addressed gun control on Sunday, calling background checks on weapons purchases "essential."
"The idea of background checks are critical, but you can't stop something like this if someone's on the streets buying something from somebody else on the streets," he said, alleging it had been too easy for the suspect to arm himself.
Four people were held hostage on Saturday at a synagogue in Colleyville, Texas by a man who later died during a police raid of the building after hours of negotiations. None of the hostages, one of whom had earlier been released by the gunman, were apparently hurt.
The negotiations could be partially heard by worshipers at home via the Facebook livestream of the service that had been underway when the hostage situation began. The suspect could reportedly be heard threatening the hostages, and referencing both Islam and a woman he referred to as his "sister."
Multiple media outlets have suggested the suspect was the brother of Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani neuroscientist currently serving an 86-year prison sentence in the US having been charged with attempting to murder US military personnel. Siddiqui's brother's attorney denied his client had been the gunman, while Siddiqui's own lawyer said she "condemned" the suspect's actions.
There have been growing calls for Siddiqui's release in both the US and abroad, with supporters labeling her an innocent victim of the War on Terror. The Pakistani government even passed a resolution in 2018 according her the title "Daughter of the Nation." In the US media, however, the woman was dubbed "Lady Al-Qaeda" after her arrest and eventual conviction in 2010.
(RT.com)
Get a daily dose of Israel Herald news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Israel Herald.
More InformationWASHINGTON, D.C.: Travelers at U.S. airports will no longer need to remove their shoes during security screenings, Department of Homeland...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: An elaborate impersonation scheme involving artificial intelligence targeted senior U.S. and foreign officials in...
SLUBICE, Poland: Poland reinstated border controls with Germany and Lithuania on July 7, following Germany's earlier reintroduction...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: After months of warnings from former federal officials and weather experts, the deadly flash floods that struck the...
MOSCOW, Russia: Just hours after his sudden dismissal by President Vladimir Putin, Russia's former transport minister, Roman Starovoit,...
DHARAMSHALA, India: The Dalai Lama turned 90 on July 6, celebrated by thousands of followers in the Himalayan town of Dharamshala,...
LONDON, U.K.: Physically backed gold exchange-traded funds recorded their most significant semi-annual inflow since the first half...
AMSTERDAM, Netherlands: Some 32 percent of global semiconductor production could face climate change-related copper supply disruptions...
NEW YORK, New York - U.S. stocks rebounded Tuesday with all the major indices gaining ground. Markets in the UK, Europe and Canada...
NEW YORK CITY, New York: Financial markets kicked off the week on a cautious note as President Donald Trump rolled out a fresh round...
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil: At a two-day summit over the weekend, the BRICS bloc of emerging economies issued a joint declaration condemning...
LONDON, U.K.: This week, BP appointed Simon Henry, former Shell finance chief, to its board as a non-executive director effective September...