The Biden administration released a statement about the hostage situation at a synagogue in the Dallas-Fort Worth area on Saturday and subsequently faced backlash for leaving out major details.
“@POTUS has been briefed about the developing hostage situation in the Dallas area,” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki tweeted. “He will continue to receive updates from his senior team as the situation develops. Senior members of the national security team are also in touch with federal law enforcement leadership.”
The alleged suspect who took hostages at the synagogue claims to be the brother of a terrorist who is incarcerated in Texas after she was convicted of trying to kill U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan.
ABC News reported:
The suspect’s sister is a known terrorist who is incarcerated at Carswell Air Force Base near Fort Worth and he is demanding to have the sister freed, according to the source.
“One suspect has taken the rabbi and three others hostage at Beth Israel Synagogue in Colleyville, TX. The hostage-taker is claiming to be armed and says his sister is Aafia Siddiqui, who was convicted in New York of trying to kill US military personnel,” ABC News correspondent Aaron Katersky tweeted. “Hostage taker is Muhammad Siddiqui and claims to be Aafia Siddiqui’s brother. He is demanding her freedom from an 86-year prison sentence.”
Psaki was called out online by various notable accounts for the lack of details that the administration provided:
tell us what the situation is press sec https://t.co/BXSNfldOB5
— Emma-Jo Morris (@EmmaJoNYC) January 15, 2022
So was this in a McDonald's? Walmart? Public School? No important additional info? https://t.co/3sv8LAyLj6
— Pradheep J. Shanker (@Neoavatara) January 15, 2022
You couldn’t mention that it is taking place in a synagogue? https://t.co/9Bi69R1Whl
— Annika H Rothstein (@truthandfiction) January 15, 2022
Any other details about where this is occurring, Jen?
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) January 15, 2022
Nothing more specific than this? We have more confirmed critical details.
— Rebeccah Heinrichs (@RLHeinrichs) January 15, 2022
Aafia Siddiqui is “linked to al Qaeda and was convicted in 2010 of attempting to kill Americans in Afghanistan,” Foreign Policy reported. “Siddiqui … who’s known in counterterrorism circles as ‘Lady al Qaeda,’ has been linked to 9/11 ringleader Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and was once on the FBI’s most-wanted terrorists list. Educated in the United States — she studied at M.I.T. and received a doctorate from Brandeis — Siddiqui was arrested in 2008 in Afghanistan carrying sodium cyanide, as well as documents describing how to make chemical weapons and dirty bombs and how to weaponize Ebola. When FBI and military officials tried to question Siddiqui, she grabbed a weapon left on the table in her interrogation room and fired upon them.”
“We are currently conducting SWAT operations around the 6100 block of Pleasant Run Rd. All residents in the immediate area are being evacuated. Please avoid the area,” the Colleyville Police Department wrote. “UPDATE 1/15/22, 4:50 PM The situation at the 6100 block of Pleasant Run Road posted about earlier remains ongoing. We ask that you continue to avoid the area. We will continue to provide updates via social media. Media staging area is Good Shepherd Catholic Church 1000 Tinker Rd.”
We are currently conducting SWAT operations around the 6100 block of Pleasant Run Rd. All residents in the immediate area are being evacuated. Please avoid the area.
— Colleyville Police (@ColleyvillePD) January 15, 2022
UPDATE 1/15/22, 4:50 PM The situation at the 6100 block of Pleasant Run Road posted about earlier remains ongoing. We ask that you continue to avoid the area. We will continue to provide updates via social media. Media staging area is Good Shepherd Catholic Church 1000 Tinker Rd.
— Colleyville Police (@ColleyvillePD) January 15, 2022
Star Telegram reporter Jessika Harkay tweeted out remarks that the hostage taker allegedly made, which could be heard on the synagogue’s live stream posted on Facebook before the tech giant took down the video.
“Don’t cry on the f***ing phone with me,” a person, who is allegedly the hostage taker, said on the livestream. “Don’t f***ing cry on me. I have 6 beautiful kids … There are hostages in the synagogue who are going to die. … What are you crying for?”
“I’m going to die, are you listening? … I’m going to die doing this, alright? Are you listening? I’m going to die. Don’t cry about me,” the person allegedly says. “I’m going to die. Don’t cry about me. Are you listening? I am going to die.”