An FBI agent talks to his colleagues at an apartment complex across the street from the scene of a mass shooting at a nightclub Monday, June 13, 2016, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/David Goldman)
ORLANDO, Florida鈥擳he gunman who launched the worst terror attack on US soil since 9/11 at a gay nightclub in Orlando was radicalized by Islamist propaganda on the internet, officials said, amid reports he was a club regular.
Lone gunman Omar Mateen killed 49 and wounded another 53 before he was killed when police stormed Pulse Night Club, one of Orlando鈥檚 prominent gay venues, early Sunday.
The attack is reminiscent of the Nov. 13, 2015, suicide attack on the Bataclan concert hall in Paris, where 90 people were massacred when jihadist gunmen opened fire on concert-goers. A total of 130 people died across the French capital that night in a series of shootings and suicide bomb attacks.
The FBI said Mateen had been radicalized by Islamist propaganda, but the bureau found no evidence鈥攃ontrary to the Paris attacks鈥攖hat the shooting had been coordinated from abroad.
The Islamic State (IS) terrorist group claimed that Mateen was acting as 鈥渙ne of the soldiers of the caliphate in America.鈥�
But聽 US investigators believe that Mateen was a 鈥渓one wolf鈥� inspired by Islamist propaganda to carry out what US President Barack Obama dubbed 鈥渁n act of terror and an act of hate.鈥�
FBI Director James Comey said his agents found no evidence that Mateen鈥檚 attack had been directed from outside the United States, 鈥渁nd we see no indication that he was part of any kind of network.鈥�
The FBI is 鈥渉ighly confident鈥� Mateen had been 鈥渞adicalized鈥� while consuming online propaganda, Comey said, adding that the gunman had claimed allegiance to IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in a series of calls during the attack.
Antigay bigotry
Agents are instead looking into the possible role of antigay bigotry.
In a further twist to the story, four people said Mateen, 29, had been a regular at the gay club, the Orlando Sentinel newspaper reported late Monday.
鈥淪ometimes he would go over in the corner and sit and drink by himself, and other times he would get so drunk he was loud and belligerent,鈥� Ty Smith told the Sentinel.
Smith said he had seen Mateen inside at least a dozen times. 鈥淲e didn鈥檛 really talk to him a lot, but I remember him saying things about his dad at times,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淗e told us he had a wife and child.鈥�
Another Pulse regular, Kevin West, told The Los Angeles Times that Mateen messaged him on and off for a year using a gay chat app.
Other club-goers told local media and MSNBC 黑料社 that Mateen had been using multiple gay apps, including Grindr, with mutual acquaintances to 鈥渉ook up.鈥�
Mateen鈥檚 wife, Noor Zahi Salman, was not cooperating in the probe.
But FBI agents have talked extensively with Mateen鈥檚 ex-wife, Sitora Yusufiy, who said he had beaten her. Relatives and acquaintances portrayed Mateen as an unstable man prone to violence who expressed homophobic views.
Gun laws
The slaughter raised questions about US counterterrorism strategy and gun laws.
The FBI said it had investigated Mateen, a US citizen of Afghan descent, but the bureau cleared him of extremist ties.
Nevertheless, Mateen was able to legally buy an AR-15 assault rifle and a 9 mm handgun.
鈥淲e make it very easy for individuals who are troubled or disturbed or want to engage in violent acts to get very powerful weapons very quickly,鈥� Obama said.
He demanded that the Republican-controlled Congress pass legislation to curb the sale of assault-type weapons like the one used in Orlando.
The White House said Obama would travel to Orlando on Thursday to pay his respects to victims鈥� families.
Vigil in Orlando
A gay chorus sang and rainbow flags fluttered in the evening wind late Monday as thousands in Orlando gathered for the first major vigil for the Pulse victims.
The trim green lawn outside a performing arts center filled with people gay and straight to hear speakers urge the city known for theme parks and fun to unite and not surrender to fear.
鈥淲e鈥檙e not going anywhere, we are here to stay,鈥� the crowd of about 5,000 chanted at one point.
鈥淚t shouldn鈥檛 be so easy to get guns,鈥� said Joe Brennan, a 52-year-old engineer at the vigil. 鈥淭he innocent deserve to be protected, too.鈥�
Police have identified all 49 victims鈥攎ainly club-goers celebrating Pulse鈥檚 Latin Night at the start of Gay Pride month. Many of the wounded remained hospitalized.
鈥楬elp me, help me鈥�
As the club was closing around 2 a.m. on Sunday, Mateen began a gun battle with an off-duty officer working at the club. More officers responded, and the gunman escaped to the bathroom, where he barricaded himself and seized hostages.
Witness Janiel Gonzalez described scenes of mayhem as the gunman sprayed revelers with bullets.
鈥淚t was like complete chaos,鈥� Gonzalez told Agence France-Presse (AFP). 鈥淧eople were screaming聽 鈥楬elp me, help me, I鈥檓 trapped!鈥欌��
鈥業nt鈥檒 solidarity鈥�
The attacks triggered solidarity vigils by gay and lesbian groups and their supporters across the world.
Thousands also gathered on Monday in New York at the birthplace of the gay rights movement, and in Los Angeles where pop star Lady Gaga led a tearful vigil.
鈥淭his is an attack on humanity itself . . . an attack on everyone,鈥� said Lady Gaga, who has often spoken out on gay rights issues.
In London鈥檚 Soho district, thousands marched under rainbow flags, bursting into chants of 鈥淲e鈥檙e here, we鈥檙e queer, we will not live in fear.鈥�
Marches and vigils were also held in the Netherlands, France, Germany, Australia and other countries. AFP