ISIS-inspired citizen known to FBI: Facts behind deadliest US mass shooting in Orlando

Following the deadly shooting spree in Orlando, Florida, local FBI chief Ron Hopper acknowledged that New York-born US citizen Mateen had professed his Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) allegiance during a 911 call he made from the nightclub at the time of the attack.

The IS propaganda machine was also quick to claim responsibility for the mass shooting by distributing a message via Amaq News that the atrocity was “carried out by an Islamic State fighter.”

However, the IS claim may be nothing more than a propaganda move to capitalize on a massacre perpetrated by a lone-wolf attacker who could have had no direct links to the terror group, security experts told RT.

The suspect’s former wife described him as abusive and emotionally and mentally unstable, and said that her family had to“rescue” her from her ex-husband during their divorce. Meanwhile his former coworker noted that Omar Mateen frequently“talked about killing people” and made racist and homophobic comments, but the company refused to act because it did not want to be accused of Islamophobia.

While confirming that Mateen had not been under active investigation at the time of the deadly Sunday assault, Hopper revealed that the 29-year old, who was brought up by a family of first-generation Afghan immigrants, had been on the FBI’s radar for years.

In 2014, Mateen was interviewed by FBI agents over his alleged contacts with Moner Mohammad Abu-Salha, likely the first ISIS-inspired American suicide bomber in Syria. Mateen had allegedly visited the same Mosque as Abu-Salha, but the federal agents determined that the 29-year-old’s contact with the jihadist was “minimal.” The case was then closed, Hopper said.

Source: rt.com

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