Further arrests made in connection with Texas synagogue siege
Two men have been arrested in Manchester this morning
Last updated 26th Jan 2022
A further two arrests have been made in Manchester this morning (26th January) in connection with the hostage situation at a Texas synagogue earlier this month.
Akram, 44, originally from Blackburn in Lancashire, was shot dead when the FBI entered the building in Texas on 15th January following a 10-hour stand-off.
He had also been on the MI5's watchlist as a "subject of interest" over Islamist terrorism in 2020 and was investigated in the second half of that year.
Officers from Counter Terrorism Policing North West say they're continuing to work closely with and are supporting US law enforcement.
In a statement they said:
"As part of the local investigation, two men have been arrested this morning in Manchester. They remain in custody for questioning.
"We continue to work closely with colleagues from other forces.
"Communities defeat terrorism, and the help and support we get from the public is a vital part of that.
We urge everyone to remain vigilant, and if you do see anything suspicious then please report it, in confidence, to police via the Anti-terrorist hotline or gov.uk/ACT."
There have been several arrests in the UK since the incident. Two teenagers who were arrested in South Manchester were released without charge on Tuesday 18th January.
Two men, one in Birmingham and the other in Manchester, were also arrested in connection. As part of the investigation, officers were granted an extension of custody to continue to question them further.