Feds charge felon in gun sale linked to Texas synagogue suspect; firearm purchased two days before standoff
A 32-year-old convicted felon was charged Wednesday in connection with the sale of a gun used by the British national to take four hostages at a Texas synagogue earlier this month before the gunman was fatally wounded by FBI agents.
Henry "Michael" Williams made his initial appearance in federal court in Texas, charged as a felon in possession of a firearm.
Two days before the Jan. 15 standoff, prosecutors allege that Williams sold the semi-automatic Taurus G2C pistol to Malik Faisal Akram. Akram held the rabbi of Congregation Beth Israel synagogue and three others hostage before they made their escape as federal agents raided the building.
The FBI tied Williams to Akram through an analysis of the gunman's cellphone records, which showed the pair exchanged a series of calls from Jan. 11 through Jan. 13.
"Mr. Williams allegedly admitted to officers that Mr. Akram told him the gun was going to be used for 'intimidation' to get money from someone with an outstanding debt," according to a Justice Department statement.
More: Rabbi threw chair at Texas synagogue gunman before escaping; FBI casts standoff as terrorism
The FBI has described the synagogue attack as a hate crime and act of terrorism in which Akram sought to win the release of federal prisoner, Aafia Siddiqui, known as "Lady al-Qaeda." She had been sentenced in 2010 to 86 years in prison for the attempted murder and assault of U.S. nationals and U.S. officers and employees in Afghanistan.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Feds charge felon in gun sale linked to Texas synagogue standoff
