It’s Tuesday, January 18th, and this is your Morning Wire. Listen to the full podcast:
1) FBI Faces Backlash Following Synagogue Attack
The Topline: On Saturday, a British man stormed into a Texas synagogue, taking four people hostage while demanding the release of a convicted terrorist. The 10-hour-long standoff ended with the suspect being killed, but the FBI is now under fire for their messaging around the attack.
Quote Of The Day: “We do believe from our engaging with this subject that he was singularly focused on one issue, and it was not specifically related to the Jewish community….”
– Matthew DeSarno, FBI Special Agent in charge
Andy JACOBSOHN / AFP / ANDY JACOBSOHN / Contributor via Getty Images
Hostage Situation
The hostage situation began on Saturday morning at Congregation Beth Israel, which is a synagogue in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.
An armed man burst into sabbath services around 10:40a.m., and immediately took four congregants hostage, including Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker.
A livestream of the service captured audio of the incident, and the hostage-taker was heard saying he’d planted bombs around the synagogue, including one in his backpack, and that he was “going to die.” He could also be heard using anti-semitic slurs while ranting about Israel and Judaism.
According to authorities, the man demanded the release of Aafia Siddiqui, a convicted terrorist from Pakistan who is currently serving an 86-year sentence in Texas after she tried to kill U.S. service members sent to interrogate her.
At 5p.m., the hostage-taker released one victim. Three hours later, at 8p.m., the situation ended after the three remaining victims escaped using a side door.
Dramatic footage from a local news crew shows the victims running away before a man armed with a handgun and wearing a backpack appears in the doorway shortly after. At that point, the FBI hostage rescue team stormed the building and a short firefight broke out, where he was killed.
Rabbi Cytron-Walker said he and his congregation had taken active-shooter and hostage training in the past, and that it likely saved their lives. The Rabbi was able to create a chance for him and his congregants to escape by throwing a chair at the gunman.
The rabbi also said he noticed the hostage-taker becoming increasingly belligerent in the final hour of the standoff and knew from their training they needed to find a way out soon because things were likely to deteriorate shortly.
The Hostage-Taker
The hostage-taker was a 44-year old British man who’d arrived in the country five weeks prior through New York’s JFK Airport.
Authorities say he wasn’t on any government watchlists, and they’re still not sure how he got to Texas, but they do know he spent three days at a homeless shelter in the week leading up to the attacks.
Apart from demanding the release of Siddiqui, he reportedly made no other demands.
The FBI
In the initial hours of the incident, Matthew DeSarno, the FBI Special Agent in charge, downplayed the role of anti-Semitism in the attack, saying the incident “was not specifically related to the Jewish community.”
The FBI’s comments were widely criticized by many who pointed out that the hostage-taker could have gone anywhere, but chose a Synagogue during a sabbath service. They also pointed out how the man could be heard on the livestream repeatedly using anti-semitic language.
On Sunday, the FBI released a statement appearing to reverse course, admitting that “[t]his is a terrorism-related matter, in which the Jewish community was targeted.”
Larger Trend: Since 2016, anti-Semitic attacks have been on the rise nationwide. In New York City, hate crimes skyrocketed by 100% in the last year, with anti-Semitic attacks going up 50%.
Now, the question for law enforcement becomes whether this was a lone-wolf attack or if he was part of a larger operation. British law enforcement officials announced the arrest of two teenagers in Manchester who they say may be connected to the attack. They’re currently being detained for questioning.
STR/Contributor/AFPTV/AFP via Getty Images
2) Novak Djokovic Deported
The Topline: The world’s number one tennis player had his visa revoked by the Australian government over the weekend for the second time, and was deported from the country on Sunday, ending his chances of defending his 2021 Australian Open title.
Quote Of The Day: “I consider that Mr Djokovic’s ongoing presence in Australia may lead to an increase in anti-vaccination sentiment generated in the Australian community, potentially leading to an increase in civil unrest of the kind previously experienced in Australia with rallies and protests which may themselves be a source of community transmission.”
– Australian Minister for Immigration Alex Hawke
The Ordeal
Novak Djokovic – the world’s number one tennis player – lost his appeal to remain in Australia. His visa was canceled a second time on Friday due to his decision to remain unvaccinated. After the appeal was denied, he was deported from the country on Sunday.
Djokovic first had his visa revoked on Thursday, January 6th, by Australian authorities after he “failed to provide appropriate evidence to meet the entry requirements to Australia.” Djokovic and his lawyers appealed the decision, and the Australian courts overruled the government’s decision to cancel his visa.
It appeared as if Djokovic would be able to defend his 2021 Australian Open title but on Friday, Australian Minister for Immigration, Alex Hawke, revoked his visa a second time, claiming it was “in the public interest to do so.”
Serbia Responds: The president of Serbia called the decision “political” and said Australian authorities “humiliated” themselves.
Going Forward
Djokovic’s participation in the 2022 French Open is also now in doubt due to his vaccine status.
On Sunday, France approved a law which will require proof of vaccination in order to enter public places. This includes Roland Garros, home of the French Open. The French sports ministry announced that “professional sports persons” will need to be vaccinated in order to participate, presumably including foreign athletes. They noted, however, that things could change between now and the beginning of the French Open in May, though no exemptions will be granted to those who remain unvaccinated.
Mathieu Polak/Sygma/Sygma via Getty Images
3) Ghislaine Maxwell Will Not Protect Identities Of ‘Customers’
The Topline: Former Jeffrey Epstein confidant Ghislaine Maxwell has decided to stop fighting to protect the names of eight men who allegedly had sex with underage girls.
Ghislaine Maxwell
Last week, Maxwell, who was convicted of sex trafficking last month, told a federal judge through her attorney that she’ll no longer object to revealing the identities of eight men accused of having sex with underage girls who she and Epstein procured for them.
Maxwell has fought for years to conceal the identities of these men. The men are referred to in a 2015 civil lawsuit brought against Maxwell by Virginia Giuffre, who has accused Maxwell and Epstein of trafficking her to Prince Andrew while she was a minor.
Eight Men
It’s not clear yet when any revelations will take place, but some say the developments make it more likely the names of the eight men will be made public.
Guiffre has publicly accused certain men of having sex with her while she was underage, including hedge fund manager Glenn Dubin, attorney Alan Dershowitz, Clinton cabinet member Bill Richardson, former senator George J. Mitchell, and several others including a modeling agent and a late MIT scientist. All of these men have denied Giuffre’s claims.
Some commentators have suggested that Maxwell might be giving up her fight to protect the men’s names because she hopes it will result in a lighter prison sentence.
The Trial
Throughout her trial, Maxwell appeared to have a confident – and some say cavalier – attitude, believing she would be acquitted.
The trial didn’t include any serious information about the involvement of high profile individuals, with much of the evidence and testimony revolving around Maxwell herself and her role in Epstein’s world, rather than who the world included.
Maxwell was found guilty on five out of six of the charges against her, the most serious of which was sex trafficking.
During Maxwell’s trial, FBI agent Kelly McGuire revealed that during the first search of Epstein’s residence, they found a safe with hard drives and CDs but didn’t have the authority to seize them. When they returned with a broader warrant, the items were missing.
Photographer: Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg/Contributor via Getty Images
Other Stories We’re Tracking
Rep. Jim Jordan
Republican Representative Jim Jordan said Republicans are “definitely” going to investigate Dr. Anthony Fauci if they take control of the House in the midterm elections.
Governor Youngkin
Glenn Youngkin was sworn in as the new Republican governor of Virginia over the weekend, signing several executive orders including an end to Critical Race Theory in public education, allowing parents to decide if their child wears a mask in school, and repealing the vaccine mandate for all state employees.
Greece
Greece is now imposing fines for unvaccinated people 60 and up. Those who don’t get vaccinated could be charged 50 euros this month and then 100 euros — or $114 — per month afterwards.