The shooting in Orlando on June 12th demonstrated features that were present in many recent terrorist acts. For example, the suspect was quickly killed and the official account immediately attempted to blame the attacks on Islam. However, as with most terrorist suspects in the U.S., Omar Mateen had been closely followed by the FBI. He also worked for a company suspected of engaging in prior terrorist events.
Mateen was well known to the FBI. In fact the Bureau had interviewed him several times and had evaluated his potential for terrorism on at least three occasions. This fact is noteworthy considering that both before 9/11, and since then, FBI leaders appear to have facilitated or manufactured terrorist acts.
Although U.S. authorities claim that Mateen pledged allegiance to ISIS “in the midst of the attack,” Mateen’s family were surprised at the claim that he had any connection to a radical terrorist group. In fact, they said he was not particularly religious.
Some have wondered why Mateen posed in several selfies wearing clothes bearing the insignias of the New York Police Department (NYPD). Although the NYPD has denied any relation to the shooter, Mateen’s employer, G4S, has some interesting links to previous terrorist events. And it benefits from terrorism.
Mateen worked for the British company G4S since 2007. Throughout that time, G4S has been what people might call a private, special operations military outfit. It is said to be three times the size of the British military. In 2012, a G4S employee was charged with making a bomb threat at the Olympics. Similar bomb threats were connected to G4S in 2013 and May 2016.
Previously called Securicor, G4S provided security at all three airports affected by the 9/11 attacks. Securicor/G4S had bought Argenbright Security—the 9/11 airport security firm—just nine months before the 9/11 attacks. The company later ran operations at Guantanamo Bay.
These facts suggest that all aspects of the attack, including initial reports of two suspects in the shootings and that someone was holding the door closed to prevent people from escaping, should be carefully investigated. Given the connections between Mateen and his employer to terrorism, it would be wise to consider the possibility that the Orlando shooting was more than a simple lone wolf attack.
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