FBI director, Colleyville rabbi, security experts speak about hostage standoff and healing

In Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker’s first public meeting since Saturday’s hostage situation in Colleyville, he joined FBI Director Christopher Wray and the Anti-Defamation League’s CEO Jonathan Greenblatt and Central Division Vice President Cheryl Drazin in discussing antisemitism, further investigation into the standoff at Congregation Beth Israel and how communities can come together, not only in healing, but times of crisis.

“The last few days have been a painful reminder of the persistence of antisemitism in our society,” Greenblatt said during the webinar discussion Thursday. “The fact our synagogues and their sacred spaces continue to be at risk for attacks by extremists, terrorists and others, and there is no doubt given what we know so far that a hostage-taker chose his target carefully and deliberately. The attack was a reminder that hardened conspiratorial antisemitism is a core tenant of extremism across the spectrum.”

A glimpse into the start of the standoff

Cytron-Walker shared his experience being held at gunpoint inside the North Texas synagogue, recounting that it was a regular Shabbat morning service and he was scrambling prior to the “Song of the Sea,” their song of redemption, that morning. A song that they never got to.

One person was helping organize early when British national Malik Faisal Akram came up to the synagogue’s door, asking if the congregation had a night shelter, and when Cytron-Walker said they didn’t, they continued the conversation into how the cold weather shook North Texas that day, with temperatures in the low 20s and icy winds.

“He talked about how he had been walking. He did have a couple of bags, and I did an initial look at him; he looked like he was telling the truth. There were no initial red flags,” Cytron-Walker said. “So we opened the door. We do keep the doors locked, but I opened the doors for him.”

Inside, they had a small turnout. Just four people attending the service in person. Once Akram was allowed in, the rabbi made him some tea, talking to him, wanting to learn more about his story.

“I was trying to analyze whether or not he was as he said was, and again, all of the things you do like a sense of nervousness, the darting around, those kind of things you might expect, he was calm and he was appreciative,” Cytron-Walker said. “He was able to talk with me all the way throughout, look me in the eye, so I didn’t have a lot of suspicions.”

The service continued as scheduled, and during a prayer, Akram seized his opportunity to overtake the synagogue. His first request was to speak with New York Rabbi Angela Buchdahl.

“He mentioned her by name because he knew that she played guitar. I don’t know how, or why he chose her exactly, other than the fact that he thought that she was the most influential rabbi,” Cytron-Walker said. “I was thinking, ‘This guy really believes that Jews control the world,’ but in that moment, he was like, ‘You need to get Angela Buchdahl … you need to get her on the phone now.’”

When Akram was making the demand, Cytron-Walker was confused, but soon understood what the 44-year-old British national was looking for.

“Angela and I laughed about this. I thought we were in trouble because I know what he didn’t – I knew that Jews did not control the world,” Cytron-Walker said. “I tried to explain to him, to the best of my ability, that it doesn’t work that way. … [Akram] was under the notion that Jews were more important, in his mind, than everyone else, and that America would do more to save Jews than it would for anyone else. That’s why he specifically targeted a synagogue. That Protocols of the Elders of Zion type of antisemitism, that’s why he focused on us.”

Throughout the day, Akram told the four hostages that he had a bomb, and wanted the area cleared. He told the hostages, and law enforcement, he didn’t want civilians or other people to get hurt.

The group inside the synagogue was on the phone with 911 when Akram began making his second demand — to speak, and free, Aafia Siddiqui from a Fort Worth prison. Siddiqui, a Pakistani neuroscientist, became the first female terrorism defendant arrested after 9/11, and she was convicted on charges related to the attempted murder and assault of United States officers and employees in Afghanistan in 2008.

An ongoing investigation

Questions regarding how Akram was able to travel internationally, despite being on a British watch list just two years ago, obtain a weapon in a foreign country and carry out a terrorist attack remain unanswered.

The FBI hasn’t released many details into their ongoing investigation, and what they know so far, but credited the strength of partnerships between the congregation, local authorities and preparation to the hostages’ ability to have gotten out of the situation alive and well.

“We understand all too well that these kinds of attacks are terrifying and that they’re not only terrifying to the individuals directly and physically involved, but they’re also terrifying for all the members of Congregation Beth Israel and really for the entire Jewish community,” Wray said. “While there are a lot of unknowns, in terms of details in this particular matter that we’re drilling into, you can be confident that we have the FBI committed to thoroughly and aggressively and rigorously investigating Saturday’s attack.”

Wray confirmed that the hostage situation is being investigated as an act of terrorism against the Jewish community.

“We are not finished. Our Joint Terrorism Task Forces all across the country will continue to investigate why this individual specifically targeted Congregation Beth Israel on their day of worship,” Wray said. “The FBI lab is actively processing evidence related to the events, our Operational Technology Division is analyzing and reviewing phones and other electronic devices and media and there’s a lot more work to be done. … This was not some random occurrence, it was intentional. It was symbolic.”

Knowledge of security

In all his interviews so far, Cytron-Walker also has credited his knowledge and teachings from local law enforcement and the FBI in his and the other hostages’ escape. Another crucial part was “amazing relationships with the entire interfaith community,” he said Thursday.

“I was literally texting and emailing in small moments, when I could, with the Colleyville police chief because I had a cell phone and because all of those relationships were there,” the rabbi said. “We had a security plan in place. We had Homeland Security grants, that we are working toward helping make things more secure, security cameras that assisted when the FBI needed them, we had a lot of resources because we had done a lot of planning.”

Cytron-Walker also explained that members of the congregation had personally taken courses with ADL, which focused on maintaining a healthy and ongoing relationship with local law enforcement.

Regardless of preparation, the rabbi emphasized, “no matter how good the plan is, no matter how good the security is, these kinds of things can still happen.”

“We were unfortunate to have this happen at Congregation Beth Israel, but we are so fortunate, and I am so grateful that I’m able to be here,” he said.

Building bridges to move forward

Drazin, ADL’s Central Division vice president, was in Colleyville the day of the attack, and similar to Cytron-Walker’s emphasis on relationship-building with law-enforcement, she also made sure to emphasize the best way to move forward is relationship building among communities.

“I think building bridges with other people in the community, so we know them before we’re in crisis, I saw that working beautifully on Saturday,” Drazin said. “People weren’t introducing themselves for the first time. People were supporting one another. Spending time outside our own echo chambers, hearing ideas that are different from our own and speaking up when we see hate. I can’t tell you how much outreach I’ve received from around the country.”

Cytron-Walker agreed, adding that for the Colleyville community, it’s one step at a time toward healing, and that begins with business as normal.

“We’re gonna have services on Shabbat morning. We’re going to have religious school on Sunday. And we already had a beautiful healing service on Monday night that was so meaningful to actually see people, to be able to help people,” the rabbi said. “There’s a lot, but it’s one step at a time. We are going to get through this together.”

The rabbi further explained the area has trauma specialists and “great resources,” including therapists through the Jewish Family Services, which has been helpful to him and his family.

“One of the most important things is to be with one another, within that sense of community, that’s needed right now more than anything else,” Cytron-Walker said.