Jesse Watters on Texas synagogue hostage situation: 'There's a lot of suspicious things about this story'

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'The Five' react to FBI 'doing a 180' on Texas synagogue hostage motive

'The Five' discuss the FBI appearing to change its original assessment that the hostage at a synagogue during Sabbath services was 'not specifically related to Jewish community.'

Jesse Watters expressed doubts over the possibility that the Texas synagogue hostage attack perpetrator was not known to law enforcement and said that some of the facts about the story were unclear, and potentially "suspicious," on "The Five" Monday.

"This guy wasn't on your radar? Mr. President, you gave him a visa two weeks ago to come into this country. What kind of visa was it? Did you vet him? Was he on a watch list? Usually, the Feds are all over these people," Watters said. "And then they do a raid immediately in England with associates or people affiliated with them. So Scotland Yard didn't know anything about this? MI6 had no clue about this guy?"

Law enforcement officials block a residential street near Congregation Beth Israel synagogue. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)

The attack took place at Congregation Beth Israel Colleyville during Sabbath services on Saturday. Authorities named a British citizen, Malik Faisal Akram, 44, as the perpetrator. The ordeal was stopped after about ten hours when the rabbi threw a chair at Akram, allowing everyone to escape to safety. 

Akram was later killed during a standoff. 

TEXAS SYNAGOGUE ACCUSED HOSTAGE TAKER WAS BRITISH NATIONAL  

"This guy buys a hot gun off the street two weeks after he gets here? Who is the guy who he bought the gun from? They don't even know how he died. Who shot him? There's a lot of suspicious things about this story and a lot of unanswered questions. And hopefully, Joe has at least one of those answers in the next 48 hours because he should be asked about this."

A law enforcement vehicle sits in front of the Congregation Beth Israel synagogue on January 16, 2022 in Colleyville, Texas.  (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

In its initial response to the attack, the FBI had cast doubt over the possibility that the Jewish community was specifically targeted. 

FBI agent Matthew DeSarno said, "We do believe from our engagement with this subject that he was singularly focused on one issue and it was not specifically related to the Jewish community. But we're continuing to work to find motive and we will continue on that path."

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Following backlash the agency released a statement that said, "This is a terrorism-related matter in which the Jewish community was targeted and is being investigated by the Joint Terrorism Task Force."

FBI Special Agent In Charge Matthew DeSarno speaks at a news conference near the Congregation Beth Israel synagogue on January 15, 2022 in Colleyville, Texas.  (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

Lisa Kennedy said, "For that meathead spokesperson to come out and say it had nothing to do with the fact that this was a synagogue, a Jewish house of worship, that's absolute baloney."

"Everyone should be outraged about this. You have to be straightforward with people. That's the only way we can make society safer is if you're honest with people instead of trying to shellac things," she said. "So the FBI has egg all over its face."