Law enforcement personnel at Congregation Beth Israel Synagogue in Colleyville, Texas Saturday. On Thursday, police in Britain arrested two men in relation to the hostage incident. The gunman, who died at the scene, Malik Faisal Akram, was a British citizen. File Photo by EPA-EFE
Jan. 20 (UPI) — Police in Britain say they arrested two men Thursday morning in relation to last week’s hostage crisis at a Texas synagogue.
The Greater Manchester Police announced the arrests in a statement on Twitter.
“Officers from Counter Terrorism Policing North West continue to support U.S. authorities with their investigation into the events in Texas,” reads the statement.
“As a result of this investigation, two men have been arrested this morning in Birmingham and Manchester. They remain in custody for questioning.”
The two have not been formally charged, reports USA Today.
Police have not disclosed any further details about the two men.
The man accused of taking four people hostage at Congregation Beth Israel, Malik Faisal Akram, died at the scene in Colleyville, in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.
None of the hostages was seriously injured during the more-than 10-hour standoff.
Law enforcement officials said during a news conference Saturday night that Malik Akram had died, but did not reveal further details about his death.
The FBI is treating the incident as a terrorism-related matter.
Malik Akram was a British citizen from the Blackburn area, approximately 20 miles northwest of Manchester, reports ABC.
Malik Akram’s brother, Gulbar Akram, expressed shock that his brother was able to get into the United States, given his criminal record.
Gulbar Akram also said his brother had been suffering from mental illness.