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Arrests made in Istanbul and Orlando nightclub shootings
By Andy Malt | Published on Tuesday 17 January 2017
Arrests have been made in relation to two separate shooting incidents that occurred in nightclubs in the last year, one in Turkey and one in the US.
Police in Istanbul yesterday arrested the man accused of carrying out an attack on the Reina nightclub on New Year’s Eve, killing 39 people and injuring dozens more. So called Islamic State subsequently claimed responsibility for the attack.
It had been feared that the man, named as Abdulkadir Masharipov, had fled Turkey altogether. However, a large scale manhunt tracked him to a friend’s house, still in Istanbul. According to reports, Masharipov was found with his four year old son. The friend and three women have reportedly also been detained.
In the US, Noor Salman, the wife of the man who opened fire at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando last June, has been arrested by the FBI, facing charges of perverting the course of justice.
As previously reported, Omar Mateen killed 49 people in an attack on the gay club, claiming allegiance to IS a number of times during the assault. He was killed during an operation to release hostages being held in the venue.
Salman was questioned by police after the attack, but released without charge. She has previously said that she had no prior knowledge that her husband was planning to carry out the shooting. According to the New York Times, as well as being charged with obstructing the investigation, Salman has also been changed with aiding and abetting.
In a statement, her lawyer Linda Moreno said: “Noor Salman had no foreknowledge nor could she predict what Omar Mateen intended to do that tragic night. Noor has told her story of abuse at his hands. We believe it is misguided and wrong to prosecute her and that it dishonours the memories of the victims to punish an innocent person”.