Police in the UK have arrested two men as part of the investigation into the Texas synagogue attack by British hostage-taker Malik Faisal Akram.
The men were detained in Manchester and Birmingham on Thursday morning and brought to police stations for questioning.
Akram, 44, from Blackburn in Lancashire, was shot dead when the FBI stormed the building on Saturday following a 10-hour stand-off.
Greater Manchester Police said officers were working closely with their counterparts in the US.
“Officers from Counter-Terror Policing (CTP) North West continue to support US authorities with their investigation into the events in Texas,” a representative for the force said.
“As a result of this ongoing investigation, two men have been arrested this morning in Birmingham and Manchester.
“They remain in custody for questioning.
“CTP North West officers continue to liaise with and support colleagues from other forces.”
Greater Manchester Police urged members of the public to report any suspicious behaviour, saying, “it won’t ruin lives but it may well save them.”
“Communities defeat terrorism and the help and support we get from the public is a vital part of that,” the police added.
“So, we would 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."
Two teenagers arrested in Manchester following the incident were released without charge on Tuesday.
Akram took four people, including a rabbi, hostage after entering the synagogue during the Saturday morning Shabbat service.
The hostages were released unharmed while US President Joe Biden branded the incident “an act of terror".
Audio footage appeared to show a tense final conversation between Akram and his younger brother Gulbar, in which the armed 44-year-old was urged to surrender by his sibling.
The recording, obtained by the Jewish Chronicle from a security source, features Gulbar pleading with his brother to stop.
“Why are you doing that, man? What you doing that for, you know? What's wrong with you?", Gulbar is heard asking.
Akram's replies included his desire to die a martyr, as well as some expletive-laden and rambling attempts to justify his actions.
Gulbar, still trying to reason with the hostage-taker, said: “Why have you come to die for? Why though?”
He appealed to his brother to back down, citing his children in an attempt to get through to him.
“Come on, man.
“You don't need to do this, whatever you're doing, man.
“Just pack it in, you'll get a bit of time and you'll come out.
“Think about your kids, man, these guys are innocent — these guys you've got there are innocent people, man.”
MI5, the UK’s security service, investigated Akram in 2020 but he was deemed not to be a credible threat to national security at that time.
It is not yet known how Akram, who had a criminal record in the UK, was able to travel to the US two weeks ago. US officials believe he obtained a visa and arrived at John F Kennedy International Airport in New York. They said he bought the handgun used in the incident after arriving in the US.
Akram spent the week leading up to the attack staying at a homeless shelter run by a Christian charity.
MATCH INFO
Europa League semi-final, second leg
Atletico Madrid (1) v Arsenal (1)
Where: Wanda Metropolitano
When: Thursday, May 3
Live: On BeIN Sports HD
Company profile
Name: Back to Games and Boardgame Space
Started: Back to Games (2015); Boardgame Space (Mark Azzam became co-founder in 2017)
Founder: Back to Games (Mr Azzam); Boardgame Space (Mr Azzam and Feras Al Bastaki)
Based: Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Industry: Back to Games (retail); Boardgame Space (wholesale and distribution)
Funding: Back to Games: self-funded by Mr Azzam with Dh1.3 million; Mr Azzam invested Dh250,000 in Boardgame Space
Growth: Back to Games: from 300 products in 2015 to 7,000 in 2019; Boardgame Space: from 34 games in 2017 to 3,500 in 2019
THE DEALS
Hamilton $60m x 2 = $120m
Vettel $45m x 2 = $90m
Ricciardo $35m x 2 = $70m
Verstappen $55m x 3 = $165m
Leclerc $20m x 2 = $40m
TOTAL $485m
Torbal Rayeh Wa Jayeh
Starring: Ali El Ghoureir, Khalil El Roumeithy, Mostafa Abo Seria
Stars: 3
Fight card
Preliminaries:
Nouredine Samir (UAE) v Sheroz Kholmirzav (UZB); Lucas Porst (SWE) v Ellis Barboza (GBR); Mouhmad Amine Alharar (MAR) v Mohammed Mardi (UAE); Ibrahim Bilal (UAE) v Spyro Besiri (GRE); Aslamjan Ortikov (UZB) v Joshua Ridgwell (GBR)
Main card:
Carlos Prates (BRA) v Dmitry Valent (BLR); Bobirjon Tagiev (UZB) v Valentin Thibaut (FRA); Arthur Meyer (FRA) v Hicham Moujtahid (BEL); Ines Es Salehy (BEL) v Myriame Djedidi (FRA); Craig Coakley (IRE) v Deniz Demirkapu (TUR); Artem Avanesov (ARM) v Badreddine Attif (MAR); Abdulvosid Buranov (RUS) v Akram Hamidi (FRA)
Title card:
Intercontinental Lightweight: Ilyass Habibali (UAE) v Angel Marquez (ESP)
Intercontinental Middleweight: Amine El Moatassime (UAE) v Francesco Iadanza (ITA)
Asian Featherweight: Zakaria El Jamari (UAE) v Phillip Delarmino (PHI)
Royal wedding inspired menu
Ginger, citrus and orange blossom iced tea
Avocado ranch dip with crudites
Cucumber, smoked salmon and cream cheese mini club sandwiches
Elderflower and lemon syllabub meringue
How to help
Call the hotline on 0502955999 or send "thenational" to the following numbers:
2289 - Dh10
2252 - Dh50
6025 - Dh20
6027 - Dh100
6026 - Dh200
Gender pay parity on track in the UAE
The UAE has a good record on gender pay parity, according to Mercer's Total Remuneration Study.
"In some of the lower levels of jobs women tend to be paid more than men, primarily because men are employed in blue collar jobs and women tend to be employed in white collar jobs which pay better," said Ted Raffoul, career products leader, Mena at Mercer. "I am yet to see a company in the UAE – particularly when you are looking at a blue chip multinationals or some of the bigger local companies – that actively discriminates when it comes to gender on pay."
Mr Raffoul said most gender issues are actually due to the cultural class, as the population is dominated by Asian and Arab cultures where men are generally expected to work and earn whereas women are meant to start a family.
"For that reason, we see a different gender gap. There are less women in senior roles because women tend to focus less on this but that’s not due to any companies having a policy penalising women for any reasons – it’s a cultural thing," he said.
As a result, Mr Raffoul said many companies in the UAE are coming up with benefit package programmes to help working mothers and the career development of women in general.
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
Company profile
Name: Oulo.com
Founder: Kamal Nazha
Based: Dubai
Founded: 2020
Number of employees: 5
Sector: Technology
Funding: $450,000
MATCH INFO
Barcelona v Real Madrid, 11pm UAE
Match is on BeIN Sports
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
