Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and several other members of the Senate Judiciary Committee sent a letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray, demanding more information on the man who took several hostages in a Texas synagogue.
Malik Faisal Akram, a British national, entered Beth Israel Congregation in Colleyville, Texas, earlier this month and took four individuals captive.
Ultimately, all the hostages were freed, after an FBI Hostage Rescue Team killed Akram.
The lawmakers requested the law enforcement officer answer more than a dozen questions about the individual and the attack.
In the letter, the legislators cited conflicting reports on Akram’s eligibility to enter the United States. Officials have claimed that Akram was not on a U.S. government watch list, and British intelligence officials have told their U.S. counterparts that a preliminary review of their databases similarly show no derogatory information about Akram.
However, the individual’s brother in the United Kingdom has disputed some statements.
“Akram also apparently had mental health issues that, if true, would potentially have made Akram inadmissible to the United States. Akram’s brother in the United Kingdom told reporters that Akram was ‘a deeply troubled man’ and added: ‘It’s well known, everybody in the town knows, he has mental health issues,'” the letter explains.
Because of the details provided by the brother, the committee members questioned the criminal’s status in the country.
“In light of the numerous red flags in Akram’s record, we are extremely concerned about the adequacy of our visa adjudication and admission screening protocols. As Akram’s own brother told reporters: ‘How had he gotten into America? … Why was he granted a visa? How did he land at J.F.K. airport and not get stopped for one second?’” the letter continued.
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Cooper Moran is a reporter for The Star News Network. Follow Cooper on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Background Photo “Congregation Beth Israel” by Congregation Beth Israel.
