The FBI has arrested Noor Salman, the widow of Pulse nightclub shooter Omar Mateen. As you’ll recall, Mateen carried out what was the deadliest mass shooting in American history, murdering 49 people at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando last year.
We know little about his motives except that he wanted a lot of LGBTQ people dead; During the attack, he claimed solidarity with ISIS, but the FBI also said there’s no evidence he actually had contact with the group.
The shooting was used by Republicans and Donald Trump to stoke xenophobia towards immigrants — even though the shooter and Salman were both born and raised in America. (They’re the descendants of immigrants, but so is just about every single person in the country.)
Now the FBI seems to have learned something that the rest of us don’t yet know because early Monday it arrested Salman at her home near San Francisco. She’s been charged with obstructing the investigation and also providing material support for the shooting. She’ll face a hearing in federal court on Tuesday.
How about we take this to the next level?
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Previously, she claimed that she had no idea what her husband was planning even though she visited Pulse before the shooting with Mateen. According to officials, her story’s been inconsistent; and now apparently they believe they’ve learned enough to charge her with abetting the horrific crime.
For now, however, the tragedy remains as senseless as ever.
Photo: Pulse memorial in Orlando. Photo by Walter via Flickr, CC 2.0
Low Country Boy
My comment gets deleted, but the inflammatory, and clearly erroneous, comment above stays?
Stilinski26
“We know little about his motives” of course you don’t because religion has nothing to do with it right… or may its the wrong religion oops
Hussain-TheCanadian
Why was she allowed to leave Florida to begin with?
@Stilinski26: Yes yes we know Islam is an “off topic” taboo in the United states (rolls eyes)
Rick
Is anyone really surprised? I’ve suspected this from the beginning.
Xzamilloh
@Stilinski26: Don’t you know? When it comes to Islam, defend, muddy the waters, create a false equivalence to Christianity…because Islam=Brown, and Christianity=white, even though both religions have over 2 billion followers, its own tenets and its own fucked up draconian doctrine. But for some reason, one is rightfully taken to task and the other one is Islam.
Allan
Stone the bitch, just like they would do in her country
Hussain-TheCanadian
@Xzamilloh: Queen please; What planet are you living on? Every time a Christian does something, especially if they’re of European heritage, everything about their crime is discussed but their religion.
sfbeast
Arrest the parents as well.
Kieran
Nobody was crying harder on election night than Omar Mateen’s father.
Captain Obvious
@Hussain-TheCanadian: Daaaayuuuum! Read and put to bed. Game over!
He’s always falling on swords for them like a black Republican.
Xzamilloh
@Allan: This is her country, genius.
Xzamilloh
@Hussain-TheCanadian: And maybe we’d be having more discussions about Christians committing mass violence in the name of Christianity if we had more Christians killing and saying “For Jehovah and Jesus” before blowing themselves up, or throwing gays off of roofs, or stoning their whore wives and daughters. But, don’t you for ONE second pretend like there is some problem with calling out Christianity or mocking it with no fear or consequences or attempting to throw up smokescreens when talking about it. Because even you in all of your apologist glory can’t stop holding Christianity up to Islam as a litmus test.
I’m an atheist. Fuck you both.
Don’t let that troll geek your head up…you’re quite wrong.
Xzamilloh
@Hussain-TheCanadian: Also can you give some examples of us ignoring Christians who commit violence in the name of Christianity? CURRENT examples? Like within years examples?
Xzamilloh
*5 years
Brian
Omar’s first wife knew about his homosexual tendencies. I don’t know if this is why they divorced but it’s a known fact that bisexuality in males is frequently frowned upon by women.
They find it dis-empowering.
Louis
Good and this doesnt surprise me she went with him to the club weeks before he committed this heinous act there is no way in this world that she didnt know what he was planning at that time.
She aided and abetted and then put on a fake sympathy act in front of people thinking people would fall for it .
Im glad they discovered this and I hope they throw the book at her callous little ass.
Im glad her despicable husband was killed I just wish the 50 LGBT whom were killed that night never would have been it will always be heartbreaking and enraging.
Hussain-TheCanadian
@Xzamilloh: There are Christians committing mass murder in the name of Christianity, and you don’t have to look far beyond some members of the US army and how their religious “inspired” conduct in Iraq and Afghanistan animates their views and behavior: from their sermons, to biblical verse notations embedded on weapons, to testimonies of other officers speaking out against the racism and bigotry that is found within their own training manuals. You can research all of this online, it’s readily available.
I find it interesting that you reference suicide bombings, especially that you and I have discussed this already, and we both know that the perpetrators of such atrocities are Salafis, while the majority of their victims are fellow Muslims. Because of your militant atheism and hatred for religion (any religion), it doesn’t serve you to have this pointed out, it doesn’t play well with your narrative. Just as it doesn’t play well when its pointed out to you that its Daesh that’s throwing gay Muslims off of roof tops.
I have no disagreement with you on the actions of SOME Muslims when it comes to violence as retaliation against criticism, or killing female members for harlotry. I abhor such behavior (as do the majority of Muslims), and those Muslims are acting against the commands of the Qur’an. I have never used Christianity as a tool comparison with Islam; I simply pointed out that you’re BSing on “Western Taboos in not criticizing Islam or Muslims” – All i have to do is point to the “Ground zero Mosque” nonsense, its development, media coverage, and communal behavior.
You, as a person who wears his atheism on his sleeve, trying to pretend that you’re more rational than many of us is nothing short of a joke; so fuck you too.
Now excuse me, I’m trying to watch Rupual’s drag race season 8……and get ready for work.
Hussain-TheCanadian
@Captain Obvious: It’s like an itch for him; he can’t help himself. The thread has nothing to do with religion, he has to stair the conversation to Islam and how horrible it is. We got it dude, you hate Islam, good for you.
Lets talk now about how this heffa left Florida, went to California, while accusations against her of driving her murdering husband to the club several times to “scoop” the area are known to the FBI and police………so what the fuck is the FBI doing? What if she left the country?
lykeitiz
@Hussain-TheCanadian: On what planet is this thread not about religion? People can speculate all they want about the various reasons Mateen did what he did, but the reason HE gave police DURING the murders was Islam.
Hussain-TheCanadian
@lykeitiz: What are you talking about? I hope you’re not referring to his so-called “allegiance” to BOTH ISIS and Hezbollah??? You do know the difference between the two right?
snowfallisfun
Posters have been offended by me saying that it wouldn’t surprise me if 1 or more of the Orlando victims were pedophiles & or drug dealers. I think they know it’s possible but hate that I raise this because people were murdered & wounded in this shooting. Though posters know this, here’s why it wouldn’t be surprising if it turns out if 1 or more of the victims were gay pedophiles & or drug dealers. The life of gays & lesbians (though not always) often have bad childhood such as fact that many gays & lesbians were victims of gay/lesbian pedophiles as kids.
1. People who are victims of same sex pedophilia are more likely to turn out gay/lesbian in adulthood, copying the sexual behavior they learned. In worse cases, victims of gay/lesbian pedophiles turn out to be gay/lesbian pedophiles in adulthood. This is esp. true for gay men & wouldn’t surprise me if it turns out 1 or more of the gay men killed in Orlando had been as a boy molested by gay pedophiles such as gay Catholic priests which caused them to repeat sexual conduct they learned from their abuse & possibly even turn out to be gay pedophiles.
2. People who are victims of gay/lesbian pedophiles along with being more likely to turn out gay/lesbian are also more likely to have problems such as depression, drug junkyism & drunkardism. They’re more likely to use drugs such as Meth, Cocaine & Extasy. In some cases, junkies can sell drugs along with using them or be a drug courier or lookout for drug dealers for money. In pubs, drugs are often sold & pubs are known to get drunkards, junkies & drug dealers.
Now I know this offends people with posters telling me how I’m trashing people who aren’t here to defend themselves. But ugly facts don’t change because some1 is murdered & it wouldn’t surprise me if 1 or more of the victims were pedophiles & or drug junkies + drug dealers because again, many gays & lesbians were victims of gay/lesbian pedophiles which ruined their sexuality & people who are victimized like this are more likely to turn out gay/lesbian in adulthood incl. turn out to be gay/lesbian pedophiles & more likely to be drug junkies incl. in some cases, sell drugs.
Xzamilloh
@Hussain-TheCanadian: I asked for proof, and you turn to the Army and Iraq. You are a regressive through and through, and once again demonstrate how you have to go to history to create an equivalence to modern day radical Islam. There is no “militant atheist”… just anti-theism. I abhor religion, but anyone can worship as they choose so long as they aren’t pushing that shit on anyone else. You go to any Islamic country and be openly gay and let me know how that goes.
Regressive liberals will always betray us for the narrative. Sexual assaults in Cologne, Germany at the hands of refugees? Let’s ignore that. Pulse shooting? He wasn’t a Muslim…don’t listen to what he said, his upbringing, or any of that… it’s NEVER Islam, but let’s throw Christianity under the bus because it’s Christianity when we want it to be. Can you just not reply to me anymore? Because I just plain damn don’t like you, and your buddy still has my dick on his brain.
TomMc
@snowfallisfun: What evidence do you have for any one, or all, of those opinions? If you cannot back up those claims, it is possible that what you wrote could be classified as hate speech.
Louis
@snowfallisfun: Disgusting you are tainting the memory of those victims those 49 victims not 50.
I reverse my position yesterday considering I keep forgetting the 50 includes the murderer and he doesnt deserve sympathy nor mourning he was a murderer not a victim the victims matter not his sorry ass.
As TomMc eloquently put it if you have no evidence what you just wrote could indeed be considered hate speech you should be ashamed you sound like someone on Fox News.
Hussain-TheCanadian
@Xzamilloh: You’re ranting again, it’s not pretty, and quite pitiful too.
You don’t like the fact that captain obvious (and I) can read you, your facade is paper thin, and your arguments can’t withstand scrutiny.
If you don’t want anyone to give you a reality check, then maybe you should stay on your blog. Otherwise I will respond to your BS everytime; if you don’t like that then guess what? Tough!
Xzamilloh
@Hussain-TheCanadian: Who are you reading? Anyone and everyone knows you are the resident Muslim apologist just like we Allistair is the resident Christian apologist. Your words mean nothing… I’d rather you not reply to me just like I’d rather dog owners pick up their dog’s shit around my complex. But, just like dog shit, I know I can’t stop you from being a pest.
You read nothing. You say nothing of value. The only reason “that person” replied to you is because she can’t stand she got reported for trolling. Okay, now you have a great day. I love my fans.
Hussain-TheCanadian
@Xzamilloh: Queen you have issues, this last post of yours is very telling. I’m sure Alistair will be glad to see you using her jargon, it just means your rhetoric is empty, and your fans will be disappointed, and they will be your undoing.
At this point you’re just loosing credibility, and yeah we read you. You may not like the T but we’re gonna serve it.
ChrisK
@TomMc: More like Trolling to get a raise out of people. Snowfallisfun also goes by abnerb.