Omar Mateen's ex-wife identified him to the Washington Post as the man in this image from MySpace.

Omar Mateen’s ex-wife identified him to the Washington Post as the man in this image from MySpace.

Amaq News, a Syrian news agency with close ties to the Islamic State, says the group is responsible for the attack on an Orlando gay club, which has killed 50 people, and left 53 injured, RT America reports.

According to the report, Amaq said:

“The armed attack that targeted a gay night club in the city of Orlando in the American state of Florida which left over 100 people dead or injured was carried out by an Islamic State fighter.

According to NBC, the shooter was identified by several law enforcement sources as Omar Mateen, 29. His family said he worked in security, and Florida records show that he had active security officer and firearm licenses.

The law enforcement sources told NBC News that Mateen was born in New York in 1986 and was listed as living at a residence in Port St. Lucie, about 125 miles south of Orlando.

Mateen’s father Mir Seddique said, “this has nothing to do with religion.” Seddique said his son got angry when he saw two men kissing in Miami a couple of months ago and thinks that may be related to the shooting.

“We were in Downtown Miami, Bayside, people were playing music. And he saw two men kissing each other in front of his wife and kid and he got very angry. They were kissing each other and touching each other and he said, ‘Look at that. In front of my son they are doing that.’ And then we were in the men’s bathroom and men were kissing each other.” Seddique said.

“We are saying we are apologizing for the whole incident. We weren’t aware of any action he is taking. We are in shock like the whole country,” he added.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations Orlando Regional Coordinator Rasha Mubarak said in a statement:

We condemn this monstrous attack and offer our heartfelt condolences to the families and loved ones of all those killed or injured. The Muslim community joins our fellow Americans in repudiating anyone or any group that would claim to justify or excuse such an appalling act of violence.

US President Barack Obama on Sunday described the incident as  “an act of terror and an act of hate.”

“The Massacre is therefore a further reminder of how easy it is for someone to get their hands on a weapon that lets them shoot people in a school, or in a house of worship, or a movie theater, or in a nightclub…. And we have to decide if that’s the kind of country we want to be…. And to actively do nothing is a decision as well.”

This is an especially heartbreaking say for our friends fellow Americans who are lesbian gay bisexual or transgender,” Obama said.

 

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