Jewish Journal
By: Aaron Bandler
January 20, 2022
It began like any other Saturday morning for the synagogue, at least the type of Saturday morning to which the Jewish community has become accustomed in the age of COVID-19.
“I’m grateful to be alive.”
Those were the words that concluded Congregation Beth Israel Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker’s Facebook post after he was held hostage for 11 hours inside the synagogue in Colleyville, Texas, that he has been part of since 2006. The situation had the Jewish world gripped in tension throughout the ordeal. Cytron-Walker and the three other hostages, who have yet to be publicly identified, survived unharmed, while the hostage-taker—later identified as 44-year-old British national Malik Faisal Akram—was killed by law enforcement.
It began like any other Saturday morning for the synagogue, at least the type of Saturday morning to which the Jewish community has become accustomed in the age of COVID-19. The synagogue, which seats 160 people, only had four in attendance, including Cytron-Walker, due to the fast-spreading omicron variant. The services were being livestreamed at Facebook before being taken down at around 2 p.m. CST; while those watching could not see Akram, the audio of the situation unfolding could be heard.
“I got text messages from several other congregants urging me to get on Facebook, where we had a live feed of the morning worship services,” congregant Anna Salton Eisen told National Public Radio (NPR). “And when I logged in, I saw that the camera was on the pulpit, but you couldn’t see any people. But the audio was on, and it stayed on for several hours. So I stayed, you know, glued to the computer.” While the audio quality wasn’t always clear, she described the hostage-taker as “not very calm.”
“HE WAS TALKING ABOUT ISRAEL, PALESTINE, ISLAM AND THAT HE HAD A GUN. HE IMPLIED HE HAD A BOMB IN HIS BACKPACK, AND THAT HE COULD, YOU KNOW, LET IT LOOSE AT ANY MINUTE. IT WAS HORRIFYING.”
Another congregant, Stacey Silverman, told ABC News that Akram was “foul-mouthed” and used “antisemitic tropes.” “He was talking about Israel, Palestine, Islam and that he had a gun. He implied he had a bomb in his backpack, and that he could, you know, let it loose at any minute. It was horrifying.” At one point during the livestream Akram could be heard saying “I am going to die.”
All the while, Cytron-Walker sounded “very calm,” according to Salton Eisen, adding that his voice sounded “soothing” though it wasn’t entirely clear what he was saying. “At another time, he was on the phone. I’m not sure who he was speaking with, but he was reassuring them that the hostages were, at that time, not harmed,” she said.
Law enforcement is investigating the full story of Akram, who arrived legally in the U.S. approximately five weeks ago, landing at New York’s JFK airport. Reviews of both U.S. and British intelligence databases show no “prior derogatory information” on Akram. Those who listened to the livestream heard him call for the freedom of Aafia Siddiqui, who was sentenced to 86 years in prison in 2010 for attempting to attack American soldiers and FBI agents in Afghanistan. At one point Akram referred to Siddiqui as his “sister,” which led some to believe that the hostage-taker was Siddiqui’s brother, Muhammad Siddiqui; however, Muhammad’s lawyer later said that he was not the hostage-taker and had no involvement in the matter. The “sister” reference appears to have been made in the solidarity sense, not biologically.
Additionally, Akram had Cytron-Walker call another rabbi in New York to free Siddiqui, NBC News reported. Joe Duenas, an independent filmmaker and writer, tweeted that this showed that Akram “actually believed that a [New York] rabbi had this power. These antisemitic conspiracy libels are spread openly by prominent activists, at universities, and by politicians in Congress.”
Eventually, law enforcement —including SWAT and the FBI— arrived at the scene and an hours-long standoff ensued. At around 5 p.m. local time, the first hostage was released. More than four hours later, reports of a “loud bang” and “two fast pops” reverberated through Twitter, eventually followed by the following tweet from Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott: “Prayers answered. All hostages are out alive and safe.” Akram was shot and killed by law enforcement.
FBI Special Agent in Charge Matthew DeSarno said in a subsequent press conference that law enforcement had been in contact with Akram throughout the day, which helped keep the hostages alive. He didn’t say what precisely caused the FBI to move in and rescue the hostages, other than that it was “deliberate,” the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported. He also claimed that Akram’s motivation was an issue that “was not specifically related to the Jewish community,” a statement that was ridiculed on Twitter, as many argued that Akram’s decision to use a synagogue to launch a hostage crisis showed it was obviously an act of antisemitism. In a subsequent statement, the FBI acknowledged that the hostage crisis was “a terrorism-related matter, in which the Jewish community was targeted.” DeSarno also said that a global investigation would be underway; since then, two teenagers in Britain were arrested in connection to the hostage situation.
“I am thankful and filled with appreciation for all of the vigils and prayers and love and support, all of the law enforcement and first responders who cared for us, all of the security training that helped save us,” Cytron-Walker wrote in his Facebook post. “I am grateful for my family. I am grateful for the [Congregation Beth Israel] Community, the Jewish Community, the Human Community. I am grateful that we made it out. I am grateful to be alive.”
The statements expressing gratitude and solidarity with the Jewish community have since been pouring in. “Thanks to the courageous work of state, local and federal law enforcement, four Americans who were held hostage at a Texas synagogue will soon be home with their families,” President Joe Biden said in a statement posted to the White House’s website. “I am grateful to the tireless work of law enforcement at all levels who acted cooperatively and fearlessly to rescue the hostages. We are sending love and strength to the members of Congregation Beth Israel, Colleyville, and the Jewish community.”
He added: “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 antisemitism and against the rise of extremism in this country. That is who we are, and tonight, the men and women of law enforcement made us all proud.”
Biden provided more information on January 16 while packing food at a food bank in Philadelphia. While he admitted that he doesn’t yet have all the facts, the president said that Akram allegedly purchased his firearms off the street and didn’t have any explosives on him despite claiming he did. Akram also spent his first night in Texas at a homeless shelter, according to Biden. When asked if the hostage situation should result in more gun control measures, Biden responded: “The idea of background checks are critical, but you can’t stop something like this if someone is on the street buying something from somebody else on the street.” The president will be holding a press conference on January 19 and said that he will contact Cytron-Walker at some point.
The new head of the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles, Rabbi Noah Farkas, released a statement during the crisis that “This is a sobering reminder of the threats of antisemitism that continue to face Jewish communities both across the United States and here in Los Angeles” adding that the Federation’s mission is “to keep our beloved Jewish community as safe and secure as possible and we are coordinating with local law enforcement and our own Community Security Initiative (CSI).”
THIS EVENT IS A STARK REMINDER THAT THE DARK FORCES OF ANTISEMITISM STILL EXIST. WE MUST AND WE WILL DO WHAT WE CAN TO FIGHT IT.”
— ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER NAFTALI BENNETT
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett also weighed in. “To the Jewish community in the U.S. and diaspora Jewry around the world, I say: You are not alone. We are one family and we stand strong and united together,” he said during his morning cabinet meeting on January 16. “This event is a stark reminder that the dark forces of antisemitism still exist. We must and we will do what we can to fight it.”
The Jerusalem Post, which reported on Bennett’s aforementioned remarks, also reported that Bennett told Cytron-Walker in a phone call: “We are brothers.” He also commended Cytron-Walker’s “admirable” leadership during the hostage crisis. “Israel stands united with the Jewish community in Colleyville,” Bennett reportedly said to him. “I was praying here for your safety, together with the rest of Israel … Please send strength to your congregation.”
Jewish groups also released various statements. “We are deeply grateful to Texas law enforcement and the FBI for their work in ending the tense hostage situation in Colleyville and for the safe return of the hostages to their families,” Anti-Defamation League (ADL) CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said in a statement. “We are also thankful for the support of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and the many other public officials who handled this situation with the gravity it deserved. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families, who have endured a horrific trauma. ADL will remain on the scene now and in the difficult days ahead.” He added that the “situation is a painful reminder of the fact that synagogues in America continue to be at risk for terrorist attacks. There is no doubt, given what we know so far, that the hostage-taker chose his target carefully. We urge law enforcement and prosecutors to investigate the role antisemitism may have played in motivating the suspect.”
The American Jewish Committee (AJC) tweeted thanks to Biden for his “forceful condemnation of antisemitism and strong signal of support following the Congregation Beth Israel attack. Further action is needed in the fight against antisemitism. We look forward to our continued work with your [administration] on this critical issue.”
Stop Antisemitism Executive Director Liora Rez also said in a statement, “When Jews tell you antisemitism is a problem, listen to us. Antisemitism doesn’t just come from the white neo-Nazi movement—it comes from many sources like we see unfolding today in Colleyville, Texas. It’s critical not to turn a blind eye to any of it as the consequences can be catastrophic.”
“THE FACT THAT THIS COULD HAPPEN TO ANY SYNAGOGUE IN AMERICA, AND ANY OF US COULD BE TRAPPED INSIDE, ANY OF OUR RABBIS OR ANY OF OUR CHILDREN IN JEWISH SCHOOLS COULD BE TARGETED, IS ENTIRELY UNACCEPTABLE AND TEARS AT THE VERY FABRIC OF THE AMERICAN DREAM.”
Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish American Organizations Chair Diane Lob, CEO William Daroff and Vice Chair Malcolm Hoenlein said in a joint statement, “This attack against our community once again reveals the imminent dangers emanating from the far left, the far right, and Islamist extremists. This hate is the reason many must memorize the exit signs when entering a synagogue, are wary of doors opening and closing, and must consider where to shelter should the unthinkable happen. Let us be clear: an attack against one of us is an attack against us all. The fact that this could happen to any synagogue in America, and any of us could be trapped inside, any of our rabbis or any of our children in Jewish schools could be targeted, is entirely unacceptable and tears at the very fabric of the American dream.
“We are grateful to live in a time and a country where the government is ready, willing, and able to protect us, no matter the threat,” they added. “We thank the White House, Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of Justice for ensuring open lines of communications and providing updates. We appreciate our colleagues who were on the ground in Texas yesterday dealing with the emergency needs of the community.”
StandWithUs CEO and Co-Founder Roz Rothstein said in a statement, “We appreciate the brave diligence of law enforcement and vocal support of people of different faiths and backgrounds, including local Christian and Muslim leaders in Texas.”
The Muslim Jewish Advisory Council (MJAC), founded by the AJC and Muslim community members, issued “a Muslim-Jewish call for solidarity” on January 16. “The Jewish and Islamic traditions both teach that diversity is a sign of the holiness of creation and that our Creator endowed all people with dignity and freedom,” the statement read. “We denounce any ideology—whether religious or political—that justifies attacks against people based on who they are or how they choose to worship. We call on our communities and all people of good will to come together in solidarity. We ask our allies to learn to identify the many sources and manifestations of antisemitism and to show Jewish neighbors and friends solidarity amidst this moment of vulnerability. Likewise, we encourage Jews across the country to maintain pride in their identity and to not shrink from the free expression of their faith for fear of attack.”
The MJAC statement concluded: “Together, we commit to use this incident to achieve greater understanding and to work together to combat all forms of hatred, including antisemitism and Islamophobia. We reject any attempt to use the identity of the attacker to stoke hatred against all Muslims.”
Rabbi Marc Schneier and Imam Shamsi Ali, who co-authored the book “Sons of Abraham: A Candid Conversation About the Issues That Divide and Unite Jews and Muslims,” said in a joint statement that they were “heartened by the demonstration of solidarity by the Islamic Center of Southlake (TX) and the local Muslim community in support of Congregation Beth Israel of Colleyville, Texas, in the midst of the recent terrorist attack that thankfully was brought to a positive resolution.”
“In the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who recognized that a people who fight for their own rights are as honorable as when they fight for the rights of all people, this Muslim-Jewish solidarity is a profound example of the strengthening of Muslim-Jewish relations in our country,” they added.
Akram’s family also issued a statement saying that they “do not condone any of [Akram’s] actions and would like to sincerely apologize wholeheartedly to all the victims involved in the unfortunate incident.” They added that Akram had “mental health issues” but they “were confident that he would not harm the hostages.” The family also claimed that Akram had allowed the remaining hostages to escape through the fire escape before he was killed in a firefight with the FBI. “There was nothing we could have said to him or done that would have convinced him to surrender.”
However, the family’s claim that Akram let the hostages go is contradicted by Cytron-Walker, who told CBS News that he threw a chair at Akram so he and the other two remaining hostages could escape. “When I saw an opportunity where he wasn’t in a good position, I made sure that the two gentlemen who were still with me, that they were ready to go, and that the exit wasn’t too far away,” he said. “I told them to go. I threw a chair at the gunman, and I headed for the door, and all three of us were able to get out without even a shot being fired.”
The family’s statement concluded: “Any attack on any human being be it a Jew, Christian or Muslim etc. is wrong and should always be condemned. It is absolutely inexcusable for a Muslim to attack a Jew or for any Jew to attack a Muslim, Christian, Hindu vice versa etc. etc.”
So who is Aafia Siddiqui, the woman who Akram was allegedly trying to free with the hostage crisis? Dubbed the “Lady of Al Qaeda,” Siddiqui, a Pakistani neuroscientist, was arrested by Afghan police after she was found carrying sodium cyanide, a flash drive containing documents on how to build chemical weapons and use the Ebola virus as a weapon and detailing New York landmarks that could be targeted for terror attacks. While in custody, Siddiqui is alleged to have grabbed an M-4 rifle and fired at the American soldiers and FBI agents holding her while shouting, “Allahu Akbar!” and “I am going to kill all you Americans!” She was eventually neutralized. During her trial, the federal government presented evidence that Siddiqui had taken part in firearms training prior to the incident.
Siddiqui and her supporters have denied that this ever happened, claiming that it was fabricated, as are her alleged links to terror (some have claimed she is married to 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed’s nephew, though this has never been confirmed). Nevertheless, a unanimous jury found the evidence against her to be “overwhelming” and the judge sentenced her to 86 years in prison; she is currently being held in FMC [Federal Medical Center] Carswell prison in Fort Worth.
It is also worth noting that Siddiqui demanded that the jurors not be seated if they had “a Zionist or Israeli background”; during the trial, defense psychologist Thomas Kucharski testified that Siddiqui believes that “Jews are responsible for 9/11 and have infiltrated American political and nongovernmental organizations,” prompting Siddiqui to interject that she is simply “a student of Noam Chomsky” who wants “peace,” according to The Forward. When the verdict came in, she said that it “came from Israel and not America. That’s where the anger belongs.”
In jihadi folklore, Siddiqui is well known––both the Taliban and ISIS offered former Army soldier Bowe Bergdahl and the late journalist James Foley, respectively, in exchange for Siddiqui, Foreign Policy reported. Al Qaeda has also called for her release and offered in exchange federal worker Warren Weinstein. But it’s not just Islamic terrorists calling for her release: the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has been beating the drum for her freedom. Many on Twitter noted that in November, CAIR’s Texas chapter held a Facebook Live discussion with former Women’s March, Inc. leader Linda Sarsour about the campaign to free Siddiqui. CAIR issued a statement on Twitter condemning the hostage crisis, calling it “pure evil” and that they “stand in solidarity with the Jewish community.” But many on Twitter did not find their statement to be satisfactory. David Draiman, lead singer of the metal band Disturbed, tweeted, “You stood by Aafia Saddiqui who stated Jews are behind 9/11 and that she didn’t want Jews on her jury, the very person the terrorist is trying to free. You have blood on your hands @CAIRNational.” Former Miss Iraq Sarah Idan tweeted that CAIR’s advocacy to free Siddiqui is further evidence that it’s “time to ban @CAIRNational who actively seek to free terrorists in our country.”
Nihad Awad, CAIR’s National Executive Director, replied to Idan that she is “shameless” for “exploiting the suffering of the Jewish community to score political points and ignoring the facts.” He linked to a statement from CAIR-Houston Board Chair John Floyd, who provides legal counsel to Muhammad Siddiqui, condemning the incident and that “Siddiqui and her family strongly condemn this act.”
“ALL IT TAKES IS TO PUBLICLY RESCIND THIS STATEMENT,” PEARL WROTE. “CAN YOU? WE ARE LISTENING.”
Judea Pearl, Chancellor Professor of Computer Science at UCLA, National Academy of Sciences member and Daniel Pearl Foundation President, tweeted that CAIR’s condemnation of the hostage crisis can only be taken seriously if they condemn CAIR-San Francisco head Zahra Billoo’s December remarks that “Zionist synagogues” are the enemy. “All it takes is to publicly rescind this statement,” Pearl wrote. “Can you? We are listening.” CAIR National defended Billoo in a lengthy December 10 Medium post, accusing various news outlets of misquoting her.
In the aftermath of the hostage crisis, the Jewish community is putting a renewed emphasis on security. The Simon Wiesenthal Center said in a January 16 statement that “it is left to Jewish communities to once again have to elevate security measures for our synagogues, Jewish schools, and community centers—not only against neo-Nazis and white supremacists, but Islamists, incited by Jew-hating campaigners and apologists who cynically wrap their hate behind the mask of politics and theology.” Greenblatt similarly said in his statement that the ADL urges “continued vigilance in securing synagogues and all Jewish institutions in the wake of this attack. The risks remain high in light of the historic level of antisemitism across the country and the proliferation of anti-Jewish hate online. ADL offices across the country will be reaching out to local law enforcement in the coming days to ensure that steps are being taken to ensure the safety and security of the Jewish community.” Evan Bernstein, who heads the Community Security Service, told JNS: “We will be dissecting lessons from this incident as details emerge, and redoubling our efforts to strengthen the safety and security of synagogues and Jewish institutions across the country,” adding that the hostage crisis is “another clear reminder to Jewish communities nationwide that prioritizing security is paramount.” Newsweek Opinions Editor Josh Hammer tweeted, “I literally cannot remember the last time I stepped foot inside a shul where (1) I was not carrying and/or (2) there was not armed security. If your shul does not have either—or ideally, both—of these, then find a new shul. And do so yesterday.”
In a January 16 statement, Cytron-Walker said that the hostages were “alive” because of the various security courses his synagogue has taken with the FBI, ADL, Colleyville Police Department and Secure Community Network. “In the last hour of our hostage crisis, the gunman became increasingly belligerent and threatening,” he said. “Without the instruction we received, we would not have been prepared to act and flee when the situation presented itself.”
IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE HOSTAGE CRISIS, THE JEWISH COMMUNITY IS PUTTING A RENEWED EMPHASIS ON SECURITY.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement that “the fear of antisemitism remains.” “We must answer hate with action and ensure synagogues and all houses of worship are sanctuaries of safety, Shabbat and other days of faithful observance a time of peace, and America a place of freedom for all.”
Others have urged the Senate to confirm Jewish and Holocaust Studies Professor Deborah Lipstadt as the Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism. Greenblatt wrote in an op-ed for The Hill that Lipstadt needs to be confirmed “immediately” and the hostage crisis shows “we cannot afford to wait.” Jewish on Campus tweeted that Lipstadt’s confirmation is “imperative.”
Regardless of what comes next, the first priority for the Colleyville Jewish community is to heal.
“It’s going to take a long time for this congregation to heal, because you don’t know who next is going to approach your building,” Silverman told ABC. “You don’t know what’s going to happen, because [antisemitism is] so prevalent right now. We know that it could happen again. It’s terrifying.”
Cytron-Walker concluded his January 16 statement by saying that while the hostage crisis was a “traumatic experience … we are resilient and we will recover.”
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