Summary: The wife of Pulse nightclub shooter Omar Mateen has been arrested after a seven month investigation turned back to her.
After Omar Mateen entered an Orlando nightclub several months ago, turning into the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history, investigators believe his wife knew about his plans. Noor Salman was arrested today by federal authorities on charges of obstructing of justice and aiding and abetting his material support to ISIS.
Salman denies knowing about his plans to carry out a jihadist attack on the nightclub but investigators claim she acted of her own free will, knowingly taking steps to obstruct the investigation into the massacre. Mateen killed 49 people and injured more than 50 others when he opened fire at the gay nightclub. He was killed after barricading himself in a bathroom.
Since the deadly shooting happened, she has claimed that she was coerced by his abusive behavior but her story has not stood up as the investigation went along. Her attorney Linda Moreno explains, “Noor has told her story of abuse at his hands. We believe it is misguided and wrong to prosecute her and that it dishonors the memories of the victims to punish and innocent person.”
However Orlando police Chief John Mina disagrees. He said, “I am glad to see that Omar Mateen’s wife has been charged with aiding her husband in the commission of the brutal attack on the Pulse nightclub. Federal authorities have been working tirelessly on this case for more than seven months, and we are grateful that they have seen to it that some measure of justice will be served in this act of terror that has affected our community so deeply.”
Salman married Mateen in 2011. Her accounts of what she knew about his intentions have changed since the beginning. She denied any knowledge of his plans but admitted to the FBI that she knew he wanted to show his commitment to ISIS with a jihadist attack.
The investigation also found that her name was added to his life insurance policy and she was given access to his bank accounts. Mateen bought an expensive piece of jewelry for her and he also transferred his share of his home with his sister and brother-in-law to them for $10.
Salman also admitted that the months before the attack, he spent thousands of dollars on guns, ammo, and other things used for the attack. The couple visited Disney World in April, in what officials believe was a surveillance trip. During the shooting, Mateen texted Salman to ask if she had heard about the shooting on the news. At one point in their communications back and forth, she said that she loved him.
The only evidence backing Salman’s claim that he was abusive to her is his ex-wife Sitora Yusufiy’s claims. She has described her experience with him as brief but violent as he physically abused her. She says the only reason she escaped was with her family’s help.
Do you think Salman knew what was going on? Tell us in the comments below.
To learn more about the Orlando shooting, read these articles:
- Orlando Shooter Responsible for Biggest Mass Shooting in U.S. History
- Teen Party at Night Club Ends in Deadly Shooting
- Orlando Families Claim Google, Twitter, Facebook Profit from ISIS
Photo: gephardtdaily.com