Orlando shooter investigated for false claim of ties to Boston Marathon bombers
Source: The Guardian
Orlando shooter investigated for false claim of ties to Boston Marathon bombers
Exclusive: FBI determined after two interviews with Omar Mateen in
2013 that his claims that he knew Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev
were invented
Spencer Ackerman in New York
Monday 13 June 2016 15.27 BST
The perpetrator of the Orlando massacre first came under law enforcement scrutiny for falsely claiming to be associated with the brothers who mounted the 2013 Boston Marathon terrorist attack, the Guardian has learned.
Omar Mateen, whose rampage early Sunday at the LGBT nightclub Pulse left 50 dead, including himself, and 53 wounded, told co-workers at the private-security firm employing him that he knew Tamerlan and Dhzokhar Tsarnaev, according to a source close to the investigation who requested anonymity.
The FBI interviewed Mateen on two occasions in 2013 related to his purported connection to the Tsarnaev brothers, the first known time Mateen drew the attention of federal law enforcement. Ultimately, bureau investigators determined that Mateen had invented the connection and did not pose a security threat.
The FBI confirmed Mateens false claim, but would not comment on the invented Tsarnaev connection.
I can confirm that the subject made allegations of terror ties that investigation proved to be unfounded, but I cant comment on the specific association, Matthew Berton, an FBI spokesman, told the Guardian.
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Read more:
http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/jun/13/omar-mateen-fbi-boston-marathon-tsarnaev