Noor Mateen, the wife of Omar Mateen, is currently being investigated by the FBI. According to the New York Times , Noor has admitted to knowing that her husband was going to carry out an attack on innocent people . Several outlets have reported that Noor told officials that she was aware of her husband’s desire to kill individuals in the Orlando, Florida, area.
Noor Mateen has reportedly also told authorities that she was with her husband when he purchased ammunition and a gun holster. She then reportedly admitted that she drove her husband to Pulse Nightclub on at least one occasion so that he could scope out the scene.
#OrlandoShooting Meet Noor Mateen second wife of Orlando terrorist shooter. Knew this tragedy was going to happen. pic.twitter.com/XrRZNXw7fP
— George Ottens (@georgeottens) June 14, 2016
Mateen also told authorities that she tried to convince her husband not to carry out the attack.
“There’s an indication that she was with him in certain parts of the process, and we’re sorting through it. We don’t know what’s true and what’s not,” said an official.
Noor Mateen has not been charged, but it is suspected that she could find herself being prosecuted if officials decide to go that route. The New York Times reports that Mateen is “not facing imminent arrest.”
Noor Mateen was kept on a short leash by Omar Mateen according to those who knew the family. One source said that Noor was forbidden to leave her home in Port St. Lucie, Florida, to visit her family in California. The source said that Omar Mateen allowed Noor to leave once a couple of years ago when her father was ill.
The #Orlando shooter Omar Mateen worked for global security firm G4S https://t.co/nfEOlzsYyh pic.twitter.com/lcJOmZ7bDS
— CNN (@CNN) June 13, 2016
Another source revealed additional information that could have Noor Mateen incriminated. A neighbor shared some information about the Mateen’s recent trip to Disney World in Orlando, weeks before Omar walked into Pulse Nightclub and opened fire.
“Jasbinder Chahal, a friend of the family who lives across the street, said that not long ago, [Noor’s] mother had told her that [Noor], her young son and Mr. Mateen went to Disney World, in Orlando.”
This information is important because it could lead authorities to additional evidence that Noor Mateen assisted her husband in more than one way. As previously reported by the Inquisitr , Omar Mateen considered Walt Disney World as a potential target for his plot . Authorities say that he was considering shooting guests at Disney Springs, a wide open shopping and entertainment area on Disney property.
Omar Mateen visited Disney Springs on at least one occasion. According to CNN , Omar Mateen spent hours at Disney Springs just two days before the attack at Pulse Nightclub. He was reportedly there by himself. If he was at Disney World previously with his wife and his son, it’s entirely possible that the trip wasn’t just a “magical” family vacation. It may have been Omar’s way of scoping out the place, hiding in plain site as a doting dad to his 3-year-old son.
Noor Mateen is cooperating with the FBI at this time, answering questions and helping in the investigation. Upcoming details about other things Mateen has told authorities may be revealed in the coming days. If charges are to be filed, one would expect that it will happen sooner rather than later.
As mentioned above, Noor and Omar have one child.
[Photo by Gerardo Mora/Getty Images]
