Brit hostage-taker who stormed Texas synagogue ‘influenced by hate preacher Anjem Choudary’

BRITISH hostage-taker Malik Faisal Akram who was shot dead by cops at a Texas synagogue was feared to have been influenced by hate preacher Anjem Choudary.

Akram, 44, from Blackburn kept four members of the Congregation Beth Israel synagogue in Colleyville captive for almost 12 hours after storming the building in a bid to free convicted terrorist Aafia Siddiqui.

Siddiqui, dubbed “Lady Al Qaeda”, is serving an 86-year sentence at Carswell Air Force Base near Fort Worth, 20 miles away from the synagogue.

Now The Sun can reveal links between Choudary and Akram and their shared warped ideology and their hope that Siddiqui will be freed. 

The Pakistani neuroscientist was arrested in 2008 by local forces who found her with two kilos of poison sodium cyanide and plans for chemical attacks on New York’s Brooklyn Bridge and the Empire State Building.

Choudary has frequently called for the release of Siddiqui on various forms of social media - including Twitter and Telegram.

The Sun has uncovered the Al Aseer magazine that was first published on October 30 and included an essay by convicted British hate preacher Anjem Choudary with a call to action.

The magazine may have been read by Akram in the run-up to his “act of terrorism” as a second edition came with a write up on Aafia Siddiqui.

And on the same day Akram stormed the synagogue, Choudary called for the release of Siddiqui in a personal blog post on his website.

Choudary has previously launched a “Twitter storm” on social media calling for the release of twisted Siddiqui - which Akram may have also viewed and been influenced by. 

London based Choudary has been vocal about wanting to see Siddiqui released. 
A source said: "Choudary is very excited by these links. 

'CHOUDARY'S INFLUENCE'

"He has been very vocal on various forms on social media calling for the release of twisted Siddiqui and there's a theory Akram has read that and been inspired by it.

"Just because they may not have met, Choudary's online presence and influence is massive."

Gun-totting Akram, 44, who was reportedly armed with ‘backpacks of explosives’ was shot dead by police after taking four hostages.

Last month we revealed Choudary is among the world’s 20 most dangerous extremists according to experts at the Counter Extremist Project - coming in at number ten.

The former leader of banned Islamist group al Muhajiroun is credited with grooming the killers of soldier Lee Rigby.