Seddique Mateen, father of Pulse nightclub shooter Omar Mateen, looked on as Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton spoke about Orlando families’ continued grieving at a rally in Kissimmee, Fla., Aug. 8.
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The Hillary campaign denied any knowledge of the elder Mateen’s presence claiming, “The rally was a 3,000-person, open-door event for the public”.
Omar Mateen, 29, of Port St. Lucie, Florida, has been identified as the gunman who opened fire at Pulse nightclub in Orlando in what is now the worst mass shooting in USA history.
When asked about the rally’s proximity to Orlando, he replied, “I wish that my son joined the army and fought ISIS and destroyed ISIS”.
The same Seddique Mateen who declared – after his son massacred patrons at a gay nightclub – that God will “punish homosexuals”.
A campaign official said Tuesday the Clinton did not know Mateen was at the rally. He didn’t indicate whether the Clinton campaign was aware of his attendance, saying “Why should they be surprised?” Paying allegiance to the jihadist group Islamic State (ISIS), Omar Mateen killed 49 people and has wounded 53 others on June 12th at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando before being shot by police.
The elder Mateen was spotted and identified by West Palm Beach-area affiliate WPTV, who interviewed him following the rally.
“Why they should be surprised?” he asked.
He said: “We’ve been cooperating with the federal government, and that’s about it. Thank you”.
“I was invited by the Democratic party”, he explained.
The elder Mateen’s presence might have not been so bad if he had been contrite and had expressed horror as to what happened. I understand that, so here’s what I want you to know.
The autopsy also showed that most of the bullets that hit Mateen came from in front of him, but that two were fired from behind and struck him in the leg and foot.
At a Trump rally earlier today in Fayetteville, North Carolina, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani blasted Clinton for failing to disavow Mateen’s support.
Mateen hosts a satellite TV program targeting Afghans who live in the United States and Europe.
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Not only was Mateen at the event, he found himself positioned on stage behind Clinton, so he was visible in photos and video of candidate’s speech.
