Texas: Hostage taker has a criminal record. How was he allowed a visa, family ask?

Questions are being asked by the family of the Texas hostage taker after it turns out that he has a criminal record and should not have been able to get a visa.
Speaking to Sky News, Mr Akram’s brother, Gulbar demanded more information about how the incident had been allowed to unfold.
“He’s known to police. Got a criminal record. How was he allowed to get a visa and acquire a gun,” he said.
It is understood that Akram had flown to America two weeks ago and had been living in a homeless shelter. According to US President Joe Biden Akram had bought a gun on the street.
Malik Faisal Akram, 44, from Blackburn, held four hostages at the Congregation Beth Israel synagogue in Colleyville, Texas, on Sunday before being shot dead by a SWAT team sent in to release the hostages.
Akram’s brother Gulbar said that his family were ‘devastated’ by his death after they spent hours talking to him in an attempt to secure a peaceful resolution.
A statement posted on the Blackburn Muslim Community Facebook page, he said: “Salaam family and friends, it is with great great sadness I will confirm my brother Faisal passed away in Texas, USA this morning.
“We are absolutely devastated as a family.”
According to the family, the hostages were released by Akram and not rescued as reported in the press. His brother Gulbar who was working with the FBI to get him to surrender said: “At around 3am the first person was released then an hour later he released the other 3 people through the fire door unharmed.
“Don’t believed the bull**** in the media they were released from the fire exit and not rescued.
“A few minutes later a firefight was taking place and he was shot and killed. There was nothing we could have said to him or done that would have convinced him to surrender.
“The FBI are due to fly into the UK later today so we don’t have much else to share at the moment. Obviously our priority will be to get him back to the UK for his funeral prayers although we have been warned it could take weeks.”
No doubt there will be many more questions asked especially now that evidence has emerged that hostage taker has a criminal record and should have been refused a visa.

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