Orlando shooter called Boston Marathon bombers his 'homeboys'

According to FBI director James Comey the Orlando shooter "claimed solidarity" with the Boston bombers, Dzhokhar (pictured) and Tamerlan Tsarnaev.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

During one of his three 911 calls on Sunday, Orlando shooter Omar Mateen referred to the Boston Marathon bombers as his "homeboys," a show of solidarity that has confused the FBI since the Tsarnaev brothers have no relation to the Islamic State, The Boston Globe reports.

"During the calls, [Mateen] said he was doing this for the leader of [Islamic State], who he named and pledged loyalty to. But he also appeared to be claiming solidarity with the perpetrators of the Boston Marathon bombing and a Florida man who died as a suicide bomber in Syria for al Nusra front, a group in conflict with the so-called Islamic State," FBI director James Comey said. Mateen had also reportedly supported Hezbollah, another enemy of ISIS.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
To continue reading this article...
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us
Jeva Lange

Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.