A fresh picture of the Texas synagogue terrorist, taken just days before launching his attack, emerged tonight as British police released two teenagers arrested in Manchester as part of the inquiry without charge.
Malik Faisal Akram, from Blackburn, was shot dead by US law enforcement on Saturday night after taking four people and a Rabbi hostage in a 10-hour siege.
Tonight, it was revealed that the 44-year-old was the subject of a 'short lead investigation' - effectively chasing a tip-off - by MI5 for a least four weeks at the end of 2020.
While there were concerns about Akram's activities, spooks deemed there was no sign he presented an imminent threat and the case was closed before tactics such as eavesdropping were deployed, according to the Times.
Indeed he wasn't on the Home Office warnings index - a watchlist used by airport police to intercept potential passengers of concern - when he travelled across the Atlantic late last year.
It would be 'disproportionate' to place someone who was assessed as not being a threat on such a list, sources told the paper.
It comes as a new image emerged of Akram tonight, taken at an outreach centre in Dallas - around three miles from the site of the attack in Colleyville - just days before he took hostages.
Wayne Walker, chief executive at the shelter, Our Calling, said Akram was hugged by a man who dropped him off there on January 2.
Meanwhile, police in the UK have released two teenagers who they arrested as part of their inquiry into the attack without charge.
The youngsters, who are believed to be under the age of 18, and cannot be identified for legal reasons, were detained in South Manchester on Sunday.
A new image emerged of Akram tonight, taken at an outreach centre in Dallas - around three miles from the site of the attack in Colleyville - just days before he took hostages
Synagogue terrorist Malik Faisal Akram is arrested outside his Blackburn home and bundled into a police van in 2016
Akram was arrested in Blackburn in 2016 after refusing to pay his landlord any rent. Police vans are pictured at the scene
A Texas Synagogue hostage flees, watched by a SWAT team officer perched in an armoured car
Police chiefs said officers remain in constant contact with US authorities to support them with their investigation and continue to lead a local investigation, with an address in North Manchester having been searched.
Temporary Assistant Chief Constable Dominic Scally, of Counter Terrorism Policing North West, said: 'CTP North West is continuing to assist with the investigation which is being led by US authorities.
'Overnight, constructive meetings with colleagues from the United States have taken place.
'As part of our enquiries, we're also working with colleagues in other forces and Lancashire Police are working with communities in the Blackburn area to put measures in place to provide reassurance.'
It comes as further pictures emerged today of the moment Akram was arrested outside his Blackburn home and bundled into a police van after refusing to pay his landlord any rent.
The terrorist was held by officers where he lived in a quiet
