FBI chief says there are 'strong indications of radicalization' of Orlando shooter
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FBI Director James Comey revealed in a Monday afternoon press conference that there are "strong indications of radicalization" of Orlando nightclub shooter Omar Mateen. However, Comey said that Mateen's radicalization likely came "in some part, through the internet," as there is no indication that Mateen's plot to attack the LGBT nightclub Pulse early Sunday morning was directed from outside the United States.
Though Mateen did pledge his support to the Islamic State during one of his three calls to 911 during the shooting, Comey said that officials are still unsure which terrorist group Mateen "aspired to support." Mateen had previously praised terrorists connected to other groups, including Hezbollah, an enemy of ISIS.
Comey says the FBI is still trying to "understand what role anti-bigotry may have played in this attack."
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The shooting left 49 dead and 53 injured. Mateen was killed in a shootout with police.
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