The NBC journalist Diaz-Balart is talking with is the same one who recently claimed that Islamic lone wolf terrorism is “not a religious issue.”

Via Daily Caller:

Despite the Sydney, Australia hostage-taker displaying a flag reading in Arabic, ”There is no God but God and Mohammed is the prophet of God,” despite his being a self-proclaimed sheikh and despite his demand that police give him an ISIS flag, MSNBC “The Rundown” host José Diaz-Balart wondered if Iranian-born Man Haron Monis is motivated by Islam at all.

“Could very well be he’s hiding behind the flag of Islam to just deal with his own criminal past,” Diaz-Balart said. “It may have very little to do with it. It’s still too early to tell.”

“Absolutely,” agreed NBC reporter Ayman Mohyeldin, who is himself Muslim. “That’s not to rule anything out, but there are some things emerging that would make me as a journalist [say] ‘Well, this is interesting.’”