Hostage situation at Texas synagogue

The director of the Anti-Defamation League, a US-based non-profit organization that combats antisemitism, called for vigilance in securing synagogues and Jewish institutions following the hostage situation in Texas.

“This situation is a painful reminder of the fact that synagogues in America continue to be at risk for terrorist attacks,” said Jonathan A. Greenblatt, the organization’s CEO and national director.

He also thanked authorities for their work in safely bringing out all hostages.

What officials have said: Earlier in the day, law enforcement officials say investigators believe the suspect may have been motivated by a desire to free Aafia Siddiqui, who is serving an 86-year sentence at a facility in Texas.

At a news conference tonight, FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge Matthew DeSarno said authorities are still investigating the suspect’s motive, but believe “he was singularly focused on one issue, and it was not specifically related to the Jewish community.”

President Joe Biden praised law enforcement officials for the rescue of four hostages at a synagogue in Colleyville, Texas, and condemned anti-Semitism in a statement released by the White House Saturday night.

Though all hostages are now safe, the Congregation Beth Israel synagogue is still an active crime scene, with bomb technicians clearing the site, said Colleyville Police Chief Michael Miller at a news conference.

He added that all the hostages were adults, though did not give further information on their ages or identities.

The day-long operation: Police received a 911 call at 10:41 a.m., Miller said. Services at the synagogue were being broadcast online through apps including Facebook and Zoom when the suspect entered and took four people hostage.

Police immediately set up a perimeter around the synagogue, evacuated houses in the area, and called out a regional SWAT team. The FBI was contacted, as well as the ATF and other federal partners.

Authorities negotiated with the suspect “all day,” Miller said, adding there was “constant communication with him.”

Eventually, the suspect released one hostage, who was not harmed and is now doing well, Miller said.

The hostage rescue team entered the synagogue at about 9 p.m., rescuing the other three hostages. The suspect is dead, Miller confirmed.

Community came together: Miller said the incident was “extremely personal” for him and his colleagues — but that he found hope “in how the community came together.”

Authorities have identified the suspected hostage taker but cannot release his identity to the public at this time, said Matt DeSarno, the special agent in charge at FBI Dallas, at an ongoing news conference.

There will be further investigation into the suspect’s contacts and motives, with authorities already in touch with partners in other countries, DeSarno said.

The four hostages rescued are unharmed and will be reunited with their families soon, he added.

The suspect in the hostage situation is dead, Colleyville police confirmed at a news conference on Saturday night after all hostages were rescued safely.

The hostage situation in a synagogue in Colleyville, Texas, is over, according to Texas authorities.

In a statement at 9:55 p.m. local time (10:55 p.m. ET), Colleyville police confirmed the situation was “resolved,” adding they were working with the FBI to “finalize all details.”

Here’s the latest:

Officials will give a news conference at 11:15 p.m. ET following the successful hostage rescue, according to a spokesperson from the Colleyville police.

We’ll be watching and providing live updates here.

All hostages held in the Congregation Beth Israel are out and safe, according to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott in a tweet. No other details on their release were included.

A CNN team in Colleyville heard a loud bang, followed by a short blast of rapid gunfire coming from the direction of the Colleyville synagogue.

CNN journalists Ed Lavandera and Ashley Killough are about a third of a mile from the Congregation Beth Israel Synagogue where the hostages are being held.

The Metro Police Department in Washington, DC is stepping up patrols at synagogues in the area, in light of the ongoing hostage situation in Texas.

In a statement to CNN, Kristen Metzger, spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police Department, said that while there are currently no credible threats in the capital, MPD will have an increased visibility around places of worship. 

The attorney representing Aafia Siddiqui, the woman whose case investigators believe could be a motivating factor for the hostage taker, urged the suspect to release the hostages in a statement on Saturday.

“We strongly condemn the hostage-taking at Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, TX,” said Marwa Elbially in a statement. “We implore the hostage taker to immediately release all hostages and turn himself in.”

More on this: Two law enforcement officials earlier told CNN that the man who took hostages at the Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville appeared to be motivated by a desire to free Siddiqui.

She is serving an 86-year sentence at a federal prison in Fort Worth after being found guilty of seven charges relating to a terror interrogation in Afghanistan. Siddiqui was accused of stealing a US Army soldier’s rifle and firing on members of the American interrogation team, who were not hit. The judge in her US trial ruled that a terrorism enhancement applied to her sentence.

Siddiqui’s appeals are exhausted, according to Elbially, who has petitioned that her client either be pardoned or allowed to serve the remainder of her sentence in her home country of Pakistan. Elbially says she has not been able to speak to Siddiqui since the Texas hostage situation began.

The Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas immediately notified synagogues, Jewish organizations, and agencies within the Dallas-Fort Worth area, calling for them to activate security protocols after four people were taken hostage at the Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville Saturday afternoon, according to a statement from the organization. 

The federation said their Community Security Initiative has been working with local police and the FBI from the start of the incident, offering assistance and support.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott tweeted about the release of one of the four people who were taken hostages at a Colleyville synagogue.

“Prayers are being answered,” he tweeted, along with a statement from police on the release of one of the hostages. “3 more to go.”

Earlier today, Abbott said he is closely monitoring the situation in Colleyville. 

“The Texas Dept. of Public Safety is on the scene of the tense hostage situation in Colleyville, Texas. They are working with local and federal teams to achieve the best and safest outcome,” the governor tweeted. 

At least four people were taken hostage earlier today at the Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas, and so far, one of them has been released.

The situation is ongoing, and many details remain unclear. If you’re just reading in now, here’s what we know fo far:

The attorney who currently represents Aafia Siddiqui — the woman whose case investigators believe could be a motivating factor for the suspect in the synagogue hostage situation — said Saturday “she has absolutely no involvement with” the taking of hostages in Texas.

More on this: Two law enforcement officials told CNN that the man who took hostages at the Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville appeared to be motivated by a desire to free Siddiqui.

She is serving an 86-year sentence at a federal prison in Fort Worth after being found guilty of seven charges relating to a terror interrogation in Afghanistan. Siddiqui was accused of stealing a US Army soldier’s rifle and firing on members of the American interrogation team, who were not hit. The judge in her US trial ruled that a terrorism enhancement applied to her sentence.

Siddiqui’s appeals are exhausted, according to Elbially, who has petitioned that her client either be pardoned or allowed to serve the remainder of her sentence in her home country of Pakistan. Elbially says she has not been able to speak to Siddiqui since the Texas hostage situation began.

“I’m really horrified by what’s happening,” said Elbially. “It’s awful to see her name being tarnished.”

Leaders from the Islamic Center of Southlake, who have worked closely with the synagogue in Colleyville, said the rabbi there actively works to hold interfaith efforts that bring together members of the Christian, Jewish and Islamic faiths in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. 

“We want to see him again as soon as possible. We just want to make sure he goes back to his family,” said Shahzad Mahmud, the ex-president of the Islamic Center of Southlake.

Mahmud said the rabbi attends festivities during the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan and that he brought sweets during their Eid festival. He said the rabbi and his wife have been friends of Islamic Center in Southlake since “day one.”  

One of the people who has been held hostage for hours inside a Texas synagogue has been released, according to local police.

Sgt. Dara Nelson with the Colleyville Police Department says the man was released uninjured around 6 p.m. ET.

“FBI Crisis Negotiators continue contact with the subject,” Nelson added.

Investigators believe three hostages are still being held inside Congregation Beth Israel.

The Los Angeles Police Department said it is increasing police patrols around synagogues in Los Angeles following the hostage situation at a synagogue in Colleyville, Texas.

“We’re working with our federal partners, increasing patrols around synagogues in LA as a precautionary measure, and conducting community outreach to ensure the safety of Angelenos,” the tweet reads.

The New York City Police Department is deploying more resources to “key Jewish locations” around the city Saturday night as city officials monitors the hostage situation in Texas, Mayor Eric Adams said in a tweet.

“We’re praying for a peaceful and safe conclusion,” the mayor added.

Two law enforcement officials tell CNN that investigators believe the hostage taker at a Colleyville, Texas, synagogue may have been motivated by a desire to free Aafia Siddiqui, who is serving an 86-year sentence at a federal prison in Texas after being convicted of trying to kill Americans overseas.

The sources tell CNN that assessment is based on both discussions with the suspect and audio heard on the synagogue’s livestream.

More on Siddiqui: In 2010, Siddiqui was sentenced to 86 years in prison by a New York federal judge following a 14-day trial. A jury found her guilty of the attempted murder of U.S. nationals and government employees, as well as assault against U.S. officers and employees.

According to a federal indictment, Siddiqui – a Pakistani scientist who graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and obtained a doctorate from Brandeis University – was taken into custody for questioning by the Afghan National Police in 2008, who said they found handwritten notes referring to potential targets of a “mass casualty attack.”

When a group of Americans attempted to speak to her, prosecutors said she was able to grab a US soldier’s rifle and open fire on the interrogation team, although no one was hit by the gunfire. At trial, one of the men in the room testified she was “a vision of hatred,” according to court records.

At sentencing, the judge found that a terrorism enhancement applied to her crimes, citing statements she had made that the judge concluded demonstrated her actions and intent to retaliate against the United States government, including “I hate Americans” and “Death to America.”

Siddiqui’s defense argued she was incompetent to stand trial, but Siddiqui clashed repeatedly with her lawyers, telling the judge at sentencing, “If anybody thinks that it is my paranoia or whatever, I’m not paranoid. I’m not mentally sick. I do not agree with that.” She also stated her belief that Israel “masterminded 9/11.”

Her conviction has been the subject of regular protests in the US and overseas. Frequent demonstrations have been organized by the Aafia Foundation, a group named for her. That group has claimed that she was assaulted in prison last year. Her family has said in interviews with CNN that she is not a terrorist. CNN has reached out to lawyers for Siddiqui for reaction to the hostage situation.

During a deadly hostage crisis in Algeria in 2013, a spokesperson for a militant group offered to release hostages if Siddiqui was released from US prison, along with 1993 World Trade Center Attack mastermind Sheikh Omar Abdel Rahman, who has since died in prison.

Siddiqui is currently being held in a medical facility that’s part of a federal prison in Fort Worth, with a release date set for 60 years from now.