Orlando nightclub killer’s wife arrested

Washington, Jan 17 (IANS) The wife of Orlando nightclub gunman Omar Mateen was arrested by the FBI in connection with her husband’s shooting that claimed 49 lives in June, 2016.

Noor Salman, 30, was taken into custody in San Francisco on Monday, and faces charges of aiding and abetting, as well as obstruction of justice in the case of the worst mass shooting in American history, CBS reported.

She is expected to make her first appearance in federal court in Oakland on Tuesday.

Salman has told the FBI that her husband had become radicalized in the year before the attack. Mateen pledged allegiance to the extreme group Islamic State during the attack.

"I can confirm the arrest did occur," Attorney General Loretta Lynch said.

"This is a matter that we continue to take very seriously," she said. "We said from the beginning we were going to look at every aspect of this case, every aspect of this shooters life."

Salman remained silent until November, when she told the New York Times that she was in an abusive relationship with Mateen who "beat her repeatedly and verbally abused her" and did not know her husband was planning an attack.

She told the FBI she accompanied her husband to Pulse (the nightclub) at least once before the rampage, and was with him when he bought ammunition. Records show Mateen texted her during a three-hour standoff, saying he intended to "blow the place up", Orlando Sentinel news reported.

Orlando Police Chief John Mina said he was pleased that Salman was arrested.

"Federal authorities have been working tirelessly on this case for more than seven months, and we are grateful that they have seen to it that some measure of justice will be served in this act of terror that has affected our community so deeply," he said in a statement.

Survivors on Monday thanked authorities for their thorough investigation to make sure anyone who could have helped Mateen is held accountable.

"I really think this will help us heal, because so many of us have been curious and have so many questions," said Orlando Torres, one of the former hostages.