US synagogue hostage-taker buried in UK

THE funeral of a British terrorist killed while holding four people in Texas has taken place after his body was returned.

Malik Akram, 44, was shot as the FBI stormed the Beth Israel Congregation Synagogue, with the hostages, including the rabbi, unharmed.

His body was returned to the UK by the US authorities on Thursday and the burial took place on Friday morning.

Gulbar Akram, his brother, has questioned why authorities let his sibling into America given he was known to British police, and had a long criminal history and mental health problems.

He had also been referred to the antiterror programme “Prevent” twice and was investigated by MI5 in December 2020. Friends, neighbours and family members attended the funeral and thanked the Jewish community for messages of support they had received in the wake of the attack.

Janazah (funeral) prayers were said for the father of six, in a small hall in the Muslim section of Pleasington Cemetery on the outskirts of Blackburn.

Gulbar, 43, told the Lancashire Telegraph: “We know that right-minded people and those who believe in peace and the true message of Islam will never condone hatred and prejudice in all its forms.

“We will continue to apologise for his actions and hope that the victims who went through this horrible ordeal can move on with their lives.

“As we have said before and will say again, this must and always will be about the victims and the experiences they went through.”

He added: “We would also like to thank everyone from the community and others who sent messages and also especially the messages from the Jewish community in the USA which were very surprising at this difficult time in our lives.”

Four men arrested in Birmingham and Manchester in connection with the siege have all since been released without charge.