Amir Condoles Loss In Orlando

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al- Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah has cabled US President Barack Obama expressing condolences on the death of US citizens in a shooting rampage in Orlando, Florida. His Highness the Amir affirmed State of Kuwait condemnation of this terrorist act; rejected by all human values and doctrines, targeting “the innocent and security of the friendly country.” HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and HH the Premier Sheikh Jaber Al- Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, addressed identical cables to President Obama.

Earlier, Kuwait’s Foreign Ministry said the government strongly condemns the “terrorist attack” that took place in Orlando, adding that the escalation of such assaults requires a doubling down of efforts on the part of the international community to eliminate “this disgusting phenomenon.”

Last year, 27 people were killed by an Islamic State suicide bomber in Kuwait during prayer at a mosque in the capital. US authorities on Monday were investigating whether the gunman who killed 49 people at a gay nightclub in Orlando and declared his allegiance to Islamic State militants had received any help in carrying out the massacre.

The FBI and other agencies were looking at evidence inside and in the closed-off streets around the Pulse nightclub, where New York-born Omar Mateen perpetrated the deadliest mass shooting in US history, and the worst attack on US soil since the Sept 11, 2001. Mateen, 29, the son of Afghan immigrants, was shot and killed by police who stormed the club with armored cars early Sunday morning after a three-hour siege. Law enforcement officials were looking for clues as to whether anyone had worked with Mateen on the attack, said Lee Bentley, the US attorney for the middle district of Florida.

“There is an investigation of other persons. We are working as diligently as we can on that,” Bentley said at a news conference. “If anyone else was involved in this crime, they will be prosecuted.” Officials stressed they believed there had been no other attackers and had no evidence of a threat to the public.

FBI Director James Comey said authorities still were trying to determine Mateen’s motives but there was no indication he was part of an organized terror network, although he may have been inspired by them. “There are strong indications of radicalization by this killer and of potential inspiration by foreign terrorist organizations,” Comey told reporters in Washington. “We’re highly confident this killer was radicalized at least in some part through the internet.” Mateen’s rampage began about 2 am Sunday (0600 GMT) when the club was packed with some 350 revelers

 Many fled as the gunman raked the crowd with bullets from an AR-15-style semiautomatic rifle and a pistol. An initial wave of officers charged into the club and trapped Mateen in a bathroom, Orlando Police Chief John Mina told reporters. That allowed many patrons to flee, although others were trapped in the restroom with Mateen, leading to the standoff. “We were able to save and rescue dozens and dozens of people,” Mina said. Police negotiated with Mateen for about three hours before breaking a hole in the wall, which allowed hostages to escape.

 

SOURCE : ARABTIMES

Comments Post Comment

Leave a Comment

Submit