Synagogue hostage-taking suspect was British

The United Kingdom’s government has confirmed that the suspect killed during an FBI assault that freed three hostages from a Texas synagogue was a British citizen, The Times of Israel reported Sunday.  

The attacker was seen in a Facebook livestream of the synagogue’s service Saturday morning before the feed cut out at around 2:00 p.m. In the video, he could be heard shouting in what some sources described as a British accent but which appeared to contain Middle Eastern inflections as well. The man also reportedly made comments about Islam, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

A hostage rescue team stormed the Congregation Beth Israel synagogue in Colleyville, Texas, Saturday night, ending an almost 11-hour standoff with a hostage-taker armed with a gun and claiming to have a bomb, CNN reported.

The suspect, who demanded the release of an al-Qaeda linked Pakistani woman serving an 86-year sentence in Texas for attempting to kill U.S. servicemembers in Afghanistan, was shot and killed.

Four people, including the congregation’s rabbi, were initially taken hostage. The suspect released one hostage around 5:00 p.m. The other three were freed following the FBI raid, which started around 10:00 p.m.

FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge Matthew DeSarno told reporters the suspect has been identified, but authorities are not yet ready to reveal his name. He added that the FBI’s international offices in London and Tel Aviv are assisting with the investigation.