Texas synagogue siege: Teens held in UK as Briton named as hostage-taker

This video can not be playedTwo teenagers have been arrested in England as part of the investigation into a hostage-taking incident at a synagogue in Texas on Saturday.British citizen Malik Faisal Akram, 44, from Blackburn, was shot dead after a standoff with police in Colleyville.Details of the ages or genders of the pair arrested in south Manchester on Sunday evening were not revealed.Greater Manchester Police said it was liaising with local communities and continuing to assist in the US inquiry.The force said the two teenagers were arrested "as part of the ongoing investigation into the attack" and were being held in custody for questioning.According to US police sources, Akram arrived in the country via New York's JFK International Airport two weeks ago.Akram's brother Gulbar confirmed his death in a statement carried on the Blackburn Muslim Community's Facebook page. But for now the immediate focus is on anyone Akram was in contact with in the area of north-west England where he came from.That brings in MI5, the security service, Counter Terrorism Policing North West and Greater Manchester Police.There has been no confirmation yet of whether Akram was already known to the UK authorities but he had no prior police record in the US.The hostage-taker was heard demanding the release of Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani neuroscientist jailed over attempts to kill US soldiers in Afghanistan, law enforcement officials told local media.Officials added Akram also asked to speak to Siddiqui, who is serving an 86-year term in a prison in Forth Worth, Texas, about 20 miles away from the synagogue.President Biden appeared to confirm the attacker had been seeking her release, saying the Texas attack was related to "someone who was arrested 15 years ago and has been in jail for 10 years".