Monday, June 20, 2016

There was one rumor about the Orlando case that hasn't been talked about or disproved.

I'm still chewing on the news we're getting from the Orlando terrorist attack and one thing became clear today.

We got alot of bad information early on.

Do you remember the talk about the terrorist being gay?  How many witnesses said that they saw him in the club before and now the FBI is unable to verify those statements (we can assume that they've combed thru all of the surveillance tapes)?  All the talk about him approaching gays on dating websites but again they're unable to verify it?

But that wasn't even the biggest falsehood.  Do you remember how we were told early on that the guy pledged allegiance to various terror groups?  If not then check this out...
Orlando gunman Omar Mateen was "deeply incoherent in his understanding of Islamic movements," casting doubt over whether "radical jihadist terrorism" played any role in the murder of 49 people in the Pulse nightclub mass shooting, said Middle East scholar Vijay Prashad.

"At some times, he apparently said he was a member of Hezbollah, which is the Lebanon- based militia group, largely a Shia group. At the other moment, he says that he is sympathetic to somebody with Al-Qaeda, the next minute with the Islamic State. Each of these groups is antithetical to the other," said Prashad.
"This was largely an attempt by this man to make his own very ugly act something greater than what it was, which was, you know, I think, principally an act of extreme, radical homophobia."


Prashad said the attempts to tie terrorist organizations to the mass murder "is a boon for groups like Al-Qaeda or ISIS."
"They don't tell us what exactly happened here, which is the story of another mass shooting in America, another young man deeply deranged and delusional, alienated for whatever reason, who was able so easily to get an assault rifle and kill innocent people."
"That's the real story, and unfortunately, the other story" of radical Islamism "strays us into territory of fear, suspicion, and hatred," said Prashad.
The scholar quoted above has an agenda.  Under the circumstances its easy to understand why he would be so easily swayed by a rumor/talking point that led him to a conclusion that he wanted to arrive at.  Still it is a bit mystifying how that got started.  Regardless this is the un-redacted transcript of his talk with police.
Transcript of Orlando Police Department 911 Calls, June 12, 2016

2:35 a.m.: Shooter contacted a 911 operator from inside Pulse. The call lasted approximately 50 seconds, the details of which are set out below:

(OD) Orlando Police Dispatcher

(OM) Omar Mateen

OD: Emergency 911, this is being recorded.

OM: In the name of God the Merciful, the beneficent [Arabic]

OD: What?

OM: Praise be to God, and prayers as well as peace be upon the prophet of God [Arabic]. I wanna let you know, I’m in Orlando and I did the shootings.

OD: What’s your name?

OM: My name is I pledge of allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi of the Islamic State.

OD: Ok, What’s your name?

OM: I pledge allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi may God protect him [Arabic], on behalf of the Islamic State.

OD: Alright, where are you at?

OM: In Orlando.

OD: Where in Orlando?

[End of call.]
He doesn't seem to be confused at all about his allegiance.  He seems pretty sure of who he's "working" for and what he's doing.

With this last information blurb from the FBI we're quickly dispelling many rumors about the Orlando shooting.

There is one thing...one statement by witnesses that the media hasn't asked and I have yet to hear an official deny it.  Check this out.
“In a moment of desperation we were all crawling on the floor trying to find a place to exit. I looked to my right and I could see people going through some curtains. We were digging through the curtains and found a door.’’
But he said the door was blocked by a man. He wasn’t sure if it was a club security person or an accomplice to the gunmen.
“Fifty people were trying to jump over each other trying to exit the place. There was a guy holding the door and not letting us exit. He’s like ‘Stay inside, stay inside.’ As he is saying that, the shooter keeps getting closer and closer and the sound of the bullets is getting closer. Everyone starts to panic. People are getting trampled. Let us out, let us out!’’’
Before Brian W comes onto the blog and tells me to loosen my tin foil hat, I'm just asking a question.  We've seen all the theories and rumors shot down.  From the terrorist being at the nightclub earlier, to him being gay, to his trying to pick up men on gay dating websites and to his pledging allegiance to various terrorist groups, we've seen all those rumors shot down.

But no one is talking about the eye witness account about a second person blocking the door.  No one is even asking the question.  This isn't tin foil hat stuff, just curiosity.

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