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REVENGE ATTACK?

Mosque where ISIS Orlando massacre gunman Omar Mateen prayed is torched by arsonists

A MOSQUE where Orlando nightclub mass murderer Omar Mateen would pray has been set on fire in an apparent arson attack.

Investigators have claimed footage shows an individual torching the Fort Pierce Islamic Center in Florida.

 A photo from the scene shows emergency services working through the night as the mosque blaze raged
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A photo from the scene shows emergency services working through the night as the mosque blaze ragedCredit: St. Lucie Sheriff's Office
 Helicopter images from a TV report appear to show some of the damage caused by the fire
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Helicopter images from a TV report appear to show some of the damage caused by the fireCredit: WPTV

Mateen slaughtered 49 people and injured 53 others in a homophobic mass killing at the Pulse gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida.

Speculation has been rife that the Florida mosque may have been torched in a revenge attack late last night.

The building also went up in flames on the anniversary of the September 11 attacks in New York in 2001.

Mateen, who pledged allegiance to ISIS, prayed there from 2003 until he was shot dead by cops at the scene of the mass killing he unleashed on June 12 this year.

A statement from St Lucie County Sheriff's Department said: "A fire at any place of worship is alarming, regardless of the circumstances.

“Video captured at the Fort Pierce Islamic Center shows an individual approached the east side of the building just moments before a flash is seen and the fire starts.

“As soon as we are able, we will release the video of this incident and ask for the public to assist us in identifying the person or persons responsible."

“This investigation is at a very early stage and updates will be provided as new information is available.”

 Omar Mateen swore allegiance to ISIS in a phone conversation with negotiators during the attack
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Omar Mateen swore allegiance to ISIS in a phone conversation with negotiators during the attackCredit: Getty Images
 Mateen had attended the Fort Pierce Islamic Center since 2003 before he was shot dead by cops in June this year
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Mateen had attended the Fort Pierce Islamic Center since 2003 before he was shot dead by cops in June this yearCredit: AP

Mateen held revellers hostage in the Pulse club and told negotiators to "stop bombing Syria and Iraq".

In what turned out to be an empty threat he also told them: "In the next few days you are going to see more of this type of action going on."

The mass murderer had allegedly been seen in the club several times before the gun attack, prompting speculation that he was a homosexual himself who carried out a homophobic hate crime.

The massacre in June was the deadliest single shooter attack and the deadliest single attack on LGBT people in US history.

 Omar Mateen was said to have visited the Pulse gay nightclub several times before he unleashed the deadliest single shooter attack in US history
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Omar Mateen was said to have visited the Pulse gay nightclub several times before he unleashed the deadliest single shooter attack in US historyCredit: AP:Associated Press

Mateen had stormed the nightclub at around 2am on June 12 and phoned 911 at 2.35am.

Cops stormed the club just after 5am and shot him dead.

Ten days after the tragic bloodbath a man claiming to be Mateen's gay lover claimed the massacre was revenge after the attacker had found out he had slept with a HIV-positive man.

According to the man, the experience turned Mateen against Puerto Ricans, and sparked the anger which lead to the deadly massacre.


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