Many early reports said he had a suicide vest or an explosive vest. Now this report says he didn’t. It would be easier to believe authorities if they didn’t so often lie to the public. In any case, if he didn’t have explosives, then Mateen was probably attempting to “strike terror into the hearts of the enemies of Allah” (Qur’an 8:60)
“Omar Mateen Told Police He’d Strap Bombs to Hostages, Orlando Mayor Says,” by Frances Robles and Richard Pérez-Peña, New York Times, June 15, 2016:
ORLANDO, Fla. — Amid the massacre at a gay nightclub here, while the gunman held dozens of people hostage, the police got word from multiple sources that the killer had booby-trapped himself, hostages and the building with explosives, Orlando’s mayor said on Wednesday.
Holed up in Pulse nightclub early Sunday, the gunman, Omar Mateen, told the police by phone that he would strap explosives to four hostages and place them strategically in the corners of the building, Mayor Buddy Dyer told reporters. People trapped inside made panicked calls and text messages to 911 operators, friends and family members, also warning that Mr. Mateen was talking about bombs, he said.
“We had a lot of information from the inside and they independently were saying yes, the bomber is about to put on an explosive vest,” Mr. Dyer said.
So far, investigators have not found any evidence that Mr. Mateen, 29, had explosives, senior law enforcement officials said Wednesday. His rampage with an assault rifle and a handgun left 49 people dead and 53 wounded, the worst mass shooting in United States history, and he died in a shootout with law enforcement officers.
Investigators continued looking into whether his wife, Noor Zahi Salman, knew what he had planned, but at a news conference, officials deflected questions about possible criminal charges against her….