Phone call shows brother pleading with Texas hostage-taker

By DANICA KIRKA, SYLVIA HUI and JILL LAWLESS
Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — A British man who held four people hostage in a Texas synagogue ranted against Jews and American wars in countries like Afghanistan as his brother pleaded with him to give up and free the captives. That’s according to a recorded conversation posted on the website of The Jewish Chronicle. Malik Faisal Akram said he was “bombed up” and equipped with “every ammunition” as he talked to his brother Saturday from inside Congregation Beth Israel in Coleyville. Gulbar Akram urged his brother to lay down his weapons. All four hostages were released unharmed. Akram was killed, though authorities have declined to say who shot him.