AS he talked on the phone with dispatchers and crisis negotiators from the bathroom of the Pulse nightclub, Orlando gunman Omar Mateen said there was a vehicle outside with explosives and he would "ignite it" if police tried "to do anything stupid," according to a partial transcript released by the FBI on Monday. He told those on the other end of the phone that he "did the shootings" and he vaguely threatened more attacks.
"In the next few days," he said, "you're going to see more of this type of action going on."
The transcript, even though many parts are shielded from public view, provides the most thorough look yet into precisely what 29-year-old Mateen said to police as he holed up inside a bathroom at Pulse, keeping more than 15 people from fleeing to safety after he had shot others. It shows he spoke of religion and explosives and told negotiators to tell government officials to stop bombing Syria and Iraq.
The investigation into what prompted Mateen to launch an attack on Pulse that left 49 people dead and dozens others wounded before Orlando police SWAT operators moved in and fatally shot him is a little more than a week old, and many questions remain unanswered. Investigators do not yet know, for example, how many club goers might have been wounded by police fire in the chaotic encounter, nor do they know Mateen's precise motivation for attacking a popular LGBT nightspot.
Law enforcement and other officials have said previously that Mateen pledged his allegiance to the Islamic State one of his calls to police, and he posted messages on Facebook doing the same. But investigators have also explored claims that Mateen had used a dating app for men and had been to Pulse before the shooting, and officials have said they are investigating the crime as one of both terror and hate. There have been no indications that Mateen has direct connections with terror groups overseas, officials have said.
Attorney General Loretta Lynch told CNN on Sunday that Mateen "didn't get into" his thoughts about gay people during the calls, and indeed, the partial transcript shows no such discussion.
FBI Director James Comey has said previously that there were three different 911 calls involving Mateen. The gunman, he has said, called 911 about a half hour after his rampage began, then hung up the phone. He then called back and spoke briefly to a dispatcher before hanging up again, at which point the dispatcher called back Mateen, the FBI director has said. The dispatcher and Mateen spoke briefly on that last call, Comey has said.
The calls all seem to have come after Mateen twice exchanged gunfire with police officers at Pulse and fled to a bathroom, authorities have said. Orlando police officials have said the gunfire stopped after he entered that bathroom, and negotiations began. All the while, they have said, officers worked to free what hostages they could, including those hiding in dressing rooms.
Some of those trapped in the bathroom with Mateen have described his phone calls previously, and law enforcement officials have also noted other contacts. Mateen exchanged text messages with his wife and had at least one phone call with an acquaintance, law enforcement officials have said. The details of that call and those exchanges, though, are unclear, and the FBI has not said precisely how many calls Mateen made or to whom.
Negotiations ultimately broke down with Mateen around 5 a.m., authorities said, and SWAT officers scrambled to break holes in the walls to the bathroom and free those who were held captive. Mateen eventually came out one of those holes, police have said, where he was shot to death by SWAT officers in a final gun battle.
The Washington Post
Mon Jun 20 2016

According to a transcript released by he FBI on Monday, Mateen spoke of religion and explosives and told negotiators to tell government officials to stop bombing Syria and Iraq.

Ramsay reveals hundreds of lucky cat statues stolen from new restaurant
Gordon Ramsay says about 477 Japanese cat models called maneki-neko were stolen from his Lucky Cat 22 Bishopsgate restaurant.

Zayn Rayyan case: Two child witnesses complete testimony today
So far, 20 prosecution witnesses, including the two children, have been called for this trial, according to the Deputy Public Prosecutor.

Macron says he will tell Trump not to be weak with Putin in Washington visit
Emmanuel Macron says showing any weakness to Russia's Vladimir Putin would make it harder to deal with China and Iran.

Israeli PM Netanyahu says Hamas will pay for not returning Shiri Bibas
Netanyahu accuse Hamas of acting "in an unspeakably cynical manner" by placing body of a Gaza woman in the coffin instead of Shiri Bibas.

Trump pulls US out of key global climate assessment, sources say
The US is a co-chair along with Malaysia of a working group on climate mitigation, or ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Japan to court Tesla on Nissan investment, FT reports
The group hopes Tesla will invest strategically, believing it's interested in acquiring Nissan's US plants, the report says.

185 children linked to GISB handed over to families - Exco
The children have been handed over to their families on bond with conditions by the court.

IRS fires 6,000 employees as Trump slashes US government
The move will eliminate roughly 6% of the agency's workforce in the midst of the busy tax-filing season.

Elon Musk wields chainsaw at conservative gathering, a gift from Argentina's Milei
This is the chainsaw for bureaucracy, says Elon Musk.
![[OPINION] For never again the world must know more about the Khojaly genocide [OPINION] For never again the world must know more about the Khojaly genocide](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2025-02/41740112820_KhazarUniversity.jpg)
[OPINION] For never again the world must know more about the Khojaly genocide
For Azerbaijanis, the Khojaly genocide is more than a historical event - it is a collective trauma that shapes their identity and worldview.

Israeli military says body released by Hamas is not of a hostage
Two bodies were identified as infants, but a third, believed to be their mother, Shiri, didn't match any hostage and remains unidentified.

Key takeaways from Trump-Putin talks: Ukraine, energy, NATO, sanctions
Here's what is known so far about what was discussed.
![[COLUMNIST] Whose rights? Islam, eurocentrism and the limits of human rights [COLUMNIST] Whose rights? Islam, eurocentrism and the limits of human rights](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-09/41726025526_UnitedNations.jpg)
[COLUMNIST] Whose rights? Islam, eurocentrism and the limits of human rights
For as long as rights are understood on Occidental terms, problems would inevitably remain. What is needed is an appreciation of diversity.

Argentina court clears 3 accused in singer Liam Payne's death
The court upheld the pre-trial detention of a hotel employee and a restaurant waiter held since last month.

Spanish ex-soccer boss Rubiales sentenced to pay fine over kiss without consent
Court also acquits Luis Rubiales' three co-defendants accused of attempting to coerce Jenni Hermoso into saying the kiss was consensual.

King’s health significantly improved after treatment - PM
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim says he had the opportunity to seek an audience with the King twice during his official visit to Bahrain.

Why Trump wants the US Department of Education shut down
The vast majority of US children attend the country's free public schools, which are a big employer and economic engine.

How did a jet flip upside down on a Toronto runway and everyone survive?
Here is what we know about this accident and similar crashes.

TIMELINE - Trump's remarks on plan to take over Gaza, displace Palestinians
The plan has been condemned globally, with Palestinians, Arab nations and rights experts saying it was tantamount to "ethnic cleansing."

'No to drugs' signboards mooted as condition for concert permit
Datuk Hussein Omar Khan says it was part of their recommendations as efforts to curb drug taking at entertainment events.