TEXAS (VINnews) — Could the attack in Colleyville have been prevented? Why was the Islamic terrorist who took hostages allowed to obtain a visa, and not placed on a no-fly list? These are some of the unanswered questions being raised, as new details about the attacker have been revealed.
Malik Faisal Akram, who was killed after an 11-hour hostage standoff in a reform synagogue, reportedly had a criminal history and was known to UK police.
Akram had an exclusion order created against him in 2001, banning him from Blackburn magistrates court, after he said that he wished a court usher had been a passenger on the planes flown by terrorists into the Twin Towers and Pentagon on 9/11.
In addition, Gulbar Akram, Malik’s brother, told Sky News that his brother had a criminal record, and questioned how he was issued a visa.
Gulbar said, “He’s known to police. Got a criminal record. How was he allowed to get a visa and acquire a gun?”
He added that he “should never have been able to get through immigration…someone helped him. He shouldn’t have been able to board a plane without any stringent checks.”
Gulbar has also been quoted as saying that his brother suffered from “mental health issues.”
All four hostages were able to escape unharmed.