In a major news story, four hostages were freed after a standoff at a synagogue in Texas.
The incident occurred a little before 10:40 a.m. local time,
yesterday, when the police received a call about a gunman storming into the
Congregation Beth Israel synagogue in Colleyville, near Fort Worth, during
morning Shabbat prayers.
The service that was live-streamed via Facebook was eventually
taken down.
The terrorist heard on the live stream demanding the
release of Islamist terrorist Aafia Siddiqui who was sentenced
to 86 years in prison in 2010 for assault and attempted murder of a
U.S. soldier. The Associated
Press reported that the gunman was also heard ranting about religion
and against America.
There were four hostages in the synagogue, including the head
rabbi of the synagogue, Charlie
Cytron-Walker.
Rabbi Cytron-Walker has been the synagogue’s first full-time
rabbi since 2006. He has worked to bring a sense of spirituality, compassion,
and learning to the community, welcoming everyone, including LGBT people, into
the congregation. He worked towards building interfaith relationships in the
community.
After 10
hours, law enforcement officials declared the hostage-taker
was dead while the hostages were released unharmed.
Details of the rescue operation have not been released yet.
So who is Aafia Siddiqui?
Siddiqui was born in Pakistan and came to the United States
on a student visa in 1990 for higher education. She lived in the United States between 1991 and 2002. She
studied at MIT and
has a Ph.D. in neuroscience from Brandeis University.
She returned to Pakistan and married a relative of the 9/11
mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. Siddiqui was arrested in Afghanistan in 2008
since she was found in possession of documents about
the manufacture of "dirty bombs" and notes about
attacks against New York City landmarks such as the Empire State Building.
Following her arrest in Afghanistan, she was interrogated by US soldiers and the FBI. During
that interrogation, Siddiqui found an unattended rifle and fired it at members
of the interrogation team. She also attacked an FBI agent and a US army officer
attempting to disarm her. She was subsequently charged with attempted murder.
She was then branded as "Lady Al Qaeda".
ISIS offered to trade journalist James Foley, who was captured
in Syria, with Siddique, Foley beheaded in
July 2014. Then in August 2014, ISIS offered the release of humanitarian aid worker Kayla Mueller, who
was abducted in Syria, in exchange for Siddiqui.
In her native Pakistan, officials decried
her punishment. Then Pakistani prime minister, Yousuf Raza Gilani, called
her the “daughter of the nation” and campaigned for her release. Pakistani
leaders have openly
floated the idea of swaps or deals that could result in her release.
Thousands took to the streets in protest when she was convicted of the attempted murder of a US army
officer in 2010. Her imprisonment in Texas was used as a rationale for
terrorism against Americans, this time in the United States itself.
In 2018, Abdirahman
Sheik Mohamud a Somali native, who came to the United States with his
family as a 2-year-old, admitted to planning an attack on the federal prison
where Siddiqui is being held in an attempt to free her. Mohamud was sentenced
to 22 years in prison.
This hostage situation leaves several open questions and
concerns.
Firstly, the incident spurred memories of the long history of
antisemitic attacks in the U.S. and around the world.
Since the days of Obama, the Democrats have been openly championing the Palestinian cause, hence
abandoning their closest ally and the only pluralistic democracy in the Middle
East, Israel. Some Democrats have even described Israel as an “apartheid”
state.
The Democrat hate for Israel and the antisemitism have
intensified in recent times.
The Democrats stay mum when terror-group Hamas fires rockets
into Israel. "The Squad", which includes Palestinian-American
Rashida Talib of Michigan and Somalian refugee Ilhan Omar of Minnesota are
blatantly antisemitic and
pro-Palestine. They even opposed funding of Israel's Iron Dome, AOC
famously ‘wept’
to apologize for her ‘present’ vote.
Even Bernie Sanders, who was raised Jewish and was generally
sympathetic toward Israel has recently expressed support for Palestinian
concerns, perhaps to appease the antisemitic Democrat base.
The Democrats in their urge to gain power have frequently
demonized America as a country founded in immorality, systemic racism, and
bigotry. They attack Trump supporters as domestic terrorists and white
supremacists.
While the terrorist is solely responsible for his actions,
these antisemitic and anti-American rants in Washington and in the media can
function as a catalyst to an already unstable radicalized mind.
It is important to note that terror attacks such as these
don’t occur in a vacuum. There is radicalization and preparation before the
act. The terrorist must have procured his raw material within the US. Perhaps
he received logistical support and training within or beyond the US. Perhaps he
consumed material either in person or via the internet that drove him to be
radicalized. He may have traveled to countries that are known for having terror
training camps. Red flags should have been raised during any of these stages.
It is a failure of intelligence that he wasn’t apprehended
prior to his act of terror. Perhaps intelligence agencies were occupied in
terrorizing Trump supporters?
The attack is also a reminder of the failed immigration
system. Both Aafia Siddiqui and her devotee Abdirahman
Sheik Mohamud entered the US legally and turned out to be the enemy
within. Biden’s open borders with an uncontrolled influx of immigrants are
likely to bring more similar and very serious problems.
It should also be a reminder about US ‘ally’ Pakistan, the
very place Osama Bin Laden chose to make his home. Despite their repeated
treachery, Pakistan has huge support in Washington.
In the end, the US has to be grateful to the skilled
negotiators, the SWAT Team, and local law enforcement officials for managing to
protect the four hostages. These matters could have been much worse.
Do not be surprised if the media attempts to describe the
terrorist as a victim of circumstance or US policy and characterize his killing
as an unnecessary application of force. Do not be surprised if they use this as an excuse for gun-control and confiscation.
When President Trump’s orders had led to the executing of ISIS
leader, Abu Bakr al Baghdadi, The
Washington Post described the terrorist as an “austere religious
scholar” who maintained “a canny pragmatism” and that “acquaintances would
remember him as a shy, near-sighted youth who liked soccer but preferred to
spend his free time at the local mosque”.
If, for instance, the terrorist entered the US following
Biden's open borders or came here recently from Afghanistan, we can be assured
that we will never learn of it.
As immediate remedial action, all synagogues around the
country must be given adequate protection with armed personnel and every
individual entering the premises will be scanned.
The big question remains, will any lessons be learned from
this attack?
We live in hope, while we expect very little change.
This article also appears https://www.americanthinker.com/
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