AUSTIN, Texas — The British terrorist who held four people hostage at a Texas synagogue over the weekend is believed to have traveled to the United States on the basis of tourism, meaning he faced less screening and vetting than a visa or green card recipient would.

Malik Faisal Akram of Blackburn, England, entered the U.S. on a flight into John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York either in late December or early January. He traveled on a tourist visa, according to a U.S. official who anonymously spoke with the Associated Press. Because visas for tourism are not required for British travelers who plan to stay for less than three months, it is likely that Akram traveled through the U.S. Visa Waiver Program.