SURPRISE! The armed robber who took hostages at an Apple Store in Amsterdam and then demanded a €200-million ($223 million) crypto ransom was a MUSLIM

But you’d never know it by early reports that did not identify the perp as a representative of the ‘religion of peace.’ An armed 27-year-old Muslim, Abdel Rahman Akkad, who took over an Apple Store in central Amsterdam and held 70 people hostage, taking one of them at gunpoint while demanding a €200-million ($223 million) crypto ransom, has died in the hospital after being mown down by a police car, when he tried to escape.

Muslim gunman with arm around hostage in the store

PROTOS – (h/t Don S) The armed suspect took control of the shop in the city’s bustling Leidseplein area last Tuesday. The tense five-hour standoff with police followed. Het Parool reported the situation ended when Akkad’s 44-year-old Bulgarian hostage, an Apple customer, fled as police delivered water.

Police Chief Frank Paauw said the suspect, a 27-year-old man from Amsterdam armed with a handgun and an automatic weapon and wearing camouflaged clothing, was run over by police as he chased his fleeing hostage. The hostage was a Bulgarian man, police said. They didn’t release his identity.

TRANSLATION: A photo tweeted by Het Parool news outlet shows the hostage-taker, dressed in a camouflage suit, together with the hostage. They sit opposite each other, the hostage appears handcuffed with his hands behind his back.

“The hostage has played a hero role. In a few split seconds, he escaped this hostage situation, otherwise, it would have been an even longer night.”

The perpetrator, an Amsterdammer, was struck by a cop-driven BMW while attempting to recapture him.

• Police had dispatched several special units to the Amsterdam Apple store to tackle Akkad, who wore military-style clothing and carried a number of weapons.

• Akkad reportedly fired on police four times. While around 70 people escaped, the kidnapper held one man at gunpoint.

• Police robots inspected the assailant and found that, while he did have a small amount of explosives on his person, they were not ready to detonate.

After the suspect was run down, a robot checked him for explosives as snipers in nearby buildings took aim, green laser beams from their weapons clearly visible in the night sky. In contacts with police, the suspect had threatened to blow himself up.

Critically injured Muslim perp lies in the street as bomb-disarming robot approaches the body

Akkad’s lawyer, who reportedly represented him before in multiple cases, confirmed his death to the media.

In a statement Apple said: “We want to thank local law enforcement for their exceptional work and ongoing investigation.”

“Our teams and customers took swift action and showed incredible strength and resolve today, and we are so thankful for the support and care they’ve shown each other under such challenging circumstances.”

While Akkad sent selfies to news outlet AT5 during the stand-off, his motive was not totally clear. (Sheesh!)

SURPRISE! The armed robber who took hostages at an Apple Store in Amsterdam and then demanded a €200-million ($223 million) crypto ransom was a MUSLIM (barenakedislam.com)