FBI Faces Backlash Following Synagogue Attack

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

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