Orlando Terrorist May Have Been Radicalized and Gay

During a press conference Tuesday, President Obama said the terrorist responsible for the massacre at a gay nightclub in Orlando was inspired by propaganda produced by the Islamic State (also known as ISIS or ISIL).

Omar Mateen “took in extremist information and propaganda over the Internet,” according to Obama. The president then cited the Islamic State's repeated calls to attack in the West, adding that Mateen “absorbed some of that and during his killing spree…pledged allegiance to ISIL.”

In the two days since Mateen's night of terror, much of the public commentary has focused on his motivations. Witnesses have come forth to say that Mateen was a frequent visitor to the Pulse nightclub and that he was, in fact, gay himself. Some accounts say that Mateen used gay dating apps and at least attempted to date other men.

Nonetheless, amid the confusion over Mateen's sexuality, it is interesting that the president specifically cited the Islamic State's propaganda as a key detail in the story. If Obama's advisers doubted that Mateen was influenced by jihadist teachings, then the president probably would have been more circumspect when it came to his motivations.

Moreover, it is possible that Mateen was gay and also enamored with jihadist violence. The two are not necessarily mutually exclusive, even though jihadists and Islamists frequently claim homosexuality is a sin. Humans, including those who come under the sway of an ideology, are often filled with contradictory thoughts and impulses. It has long been a tenant of the jihadist ideology that fighting in the name of Allah has redemptive qualities. And one can easily envision a scenario in which a young Muslim decided to redeem himself from his supposedly sinful ways by showing his devotion to the cause.

However, such scenarios are merely speculative at this juncture. It is possible that Mateen interacted with the LGBT community as he was surveilling targets. According to NBC News, Mateen's wife, Noor, told the “FBI that she once drove him to the gay nightclub, Pulse, because he wanted to scope it out.”

Key details still need to be uncovered or verified, including how frequently Mateen visited Pulse, how far back in time his trips began, and whether or not he had any other sexual partners. Regardless, the FBI has released a number of details that connect Mateen to other jihadists and their ideology.

During an investigation in 2013, Mateen told authorities that he had family connections in al Qaeda and was a member of Hezbollah. The FBI dismissed these claims as contradictory, but they at least demonstrate that Mateen was drawn to radical jihadist groups—both Sunni and Shiite.

According to FBI Director James Comey, Mateen also told officials “he hoped that law enforcement would raid his apartment and assault his wife and child so that he could martyr himself.” Mateen's desire to become a “martyr” is a clear red flag.

Mateen was investigated again in 2014 because of his possible ties to Moner Mohammad Abu Salha, who blew himself up in a “martyrdom operation” on behalf of Al Nusrah Front (al Qaeda's official branch in Syria) in May 2014. The FBI claims that the investigation showed these ties were insignificant, but that part of the case file is likely be reexamined in light of Mateen's killing spree.

During the FBI's investigations, one witness mentioned Mateen's name when asked if he or she knew of anyone “who might be radicalizing,” according to the Associated Press's summary of Comey's remarks. The AP added: “The witness said he worried about Mateen because he mentioned videos of Anwar al-Awlaki, an al-Qaida leader killed in 2011 by a U.S. drone strike.” Awlaki helped spread the concept of jihadist martyrdom in his prolific teachings.

Mateen also falsely claimed at one point that he knew the Tsarnaev brothers, who were responsible for the Boston Marathon bombing in April 2013. The FBI determined that Mateen was lying, but his bragging may indicate that he was drawn to their terror.

The details from the FBI's investigations in 2013 and 2014 suggest that Mateen may have begun down a radical path by that time—before the rise of the Islamic State.

It is still early in the investigation. Many additional details regarding Mateen's sex life and connections need to be established. But the Obama administration clearly views Mateen's horrible act as one that was inspired by the Islamic State.

Thomas Joscelyn is a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Follow him on Twitter @thomasjoscelyn.