Noor Salman, the widow of the Pulse nightclub shooter Omar Mateen, has been taken into federal custody. FBI investigators believe that Salman may have aided her late husband in the planning and execution of the Orlando nightclub massacre that happened back in June. Now, Salman has been charged with obstruction of justice and aiding and abetting in connection with her husband's crimes.
Investigators believe Noor Salman aided Omar Mateen in planning the Pulse nightclub massacre
The Monday arrest of Noor Salman was first reported by the New York Times.
Salman is believed to have worked "of her own free will" to obstruct the investigation into the Pulse nightclub shooting. They have accused her of knowing that Mateen was planning something heinous and not only did she do and say nothing, but she might have actually helped him with his homophobic attack.
According to the report, Salman claims that her husband was abusive and because of that, she was too afraid to turn him in. FBI investigators believe otherwise, leading to the charges against Salman. Charges were filed in the Middle District in Florida. Noor Salman will have a hearing on Tuesday in Oakland, California since she was arrested in the San Francisco area, where she has been living since the deadly Pulse nightclub attack.
It is expected that she will be extradited back to Orlando.
Orlando police chief expresses gratitude, relief over Noor Salman arrest
Orlando police Chief John Mina expressed his relief that investigators are finally catching up to Salman. In a statement released by Mina, he said that he is "grateful that they have seen to it that some measure of justice will be served."
Omar Mateen murdered 49 people and injured at least 50 more when he opened fire inside the Pulse nightclub in Orlando last June.
Mateen was killed by law enforcement after barricading himself inside a club bathroom during the massacre.
The investigation into Noor Salman's involvement in the Pulse nightclub shooting proved that she did have knowledge that Omar Mateen was planning to do something bad. She reportedly gave conflicting information to authorities about her husband's plans.
She also divulged at one point that Omar Mateen wanted to become a martyr in a Jihadist attack but claimed that she had no knowledge of his actual plans to do so at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando.
The evidence against Noor Salman is overwhelming
Evidence suggests that Noor Salman may not have been completely honest. Part of that evidence includes Omar Mateen adding Salman to his life insurance policy just months before the deadly shooting. He also sold his share of the home they shared with his sister and brother-in-law to them for just ten dollars.
Mateen is accused of buying thousands of dollars worth of guns and ammunition just weeks before the deadly Pulse nightclub attack. He is also believed to have been scouting Disneyworld for an attack there instead, and he brought Salman along with him when he did it.
There are also reports that Omar Mateen was in communication with Noor Salman during the attack on Pulse nightclub, It was reported that about two hours into the attack, he texted Salman to find out if the news had been reporting on the crime he was in the midst of committing. She texted him back to tell him that she loved him.
