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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, June 21, 2016
Arrested man wanted to shoot Trump
A MAN who tried to grab a gun at a Donald Trump rally in Las Vegas at the weekend said he wanted to shoot the Republican candidate, court papers say. Michael Steven Sandford, 19, who is believed to be British, is expected to appear in a Nevada court shortly. According to the court papers, he went to a Trump rally on Saturday at the Treasure Island Casino. He reportedly approached a Las Vegas police officer to say he wanted an autograph from the candidate. He has a UK driving license and told police he had been in the US for one and a half years, the court papers say. The detainee reportedly told police he had been planning to try and shoot Mr Trump for about a year
People attending the rally in Las Vegas on Saturday had to pass through metal detectors manned by police and casino security officials but had decided to act now because he finally felt confident enough to do so. Earlier on Monday, Trump fired his campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, who oversaw his tri-
umph in the primary contests. When asked about the arrest of Michael Sandford, a Foreign Office spokesman
said: “We are providing assistance following an arrest of a British national in Las Vegas.”
‘EXPECTED TO BE KILLED’ According the court papers, Sandford said he had never fired a gun before but went to a range in Las Vegas on June 17 to learn how to shoot. At the rally, he allegedly tried to grab the officer’s weapon because it was in an unlocked position and therefore, he said, the easiest way to get a gun to shoot Trump. Court Documents say Sandford acknowledged he knew he would only be able to fire one or two rounds, and expected to be killed during an attempt on Trump’s life. He told police if he had not tried to kill Trump at this rally he would have tried again at a rally in Phoenix,
for which he had already booked tickets, the papers say. Recent opinion polls suggest Trump is trailing his Democrat opponent Hillary Clinton, with most voters viewing him as “strongly unfavourable”. There were reports over the weekend that Clinton’s campaign was ahead in spending in key swing states. Americans go to the polls on November 8 to elect a President to succeed Democrat Barack Obama, who is stepping down after two terms in office, which have seen the Republicans gain control of both houses of Congress. (BBC)
Orlando gunman: I’m an Islamic soldier THE gunman who killed 49 people at an Orlando gay nightclub described himself as an Islamic soldier in calls made to police during the attack. A transcript of the calls between police negotiators and Omar Mateen during the three-hour siege have been released by the FBI. The 29-year-old mentioned the war in Syria and the France terror attacks during calls to the 911 dispatcher. Mateen died in a shootout with police after authorities stormed the building. The FBI said Mateen spoke to a dispatcher twice
Thousands convened in downtown Orlando on Sunday to remember the victims during three phone calls made about 30 minutes after he began the attack. Mateen allegedly made the calls while he held more than a dozen people hostage at the venue. The first call (see below) lasted about 50 seconds. Police: Orlando Police Dispatcher Mateen: Omar Mateen Police: Emergency 911,
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this is being recorded. Mateen; In the name of God the Merciful, the beneficial [in Arabic] Police: What? Mateen: Praise be to God, and prayers as well as peace be upon the prophet of God [in Arabic]. I let you know, I’m in Orlando and I did the shootings. P olice: Wh at’s your name? Mateen: My name is I pledge allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi of the Islamic State. Police: Ok, What’s your name? Mateen: I pledge allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi may God protect him
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[Arabic], on behalf of the Islamic State. Police: Alright, where are you at? Mateen: In Orlando. Police: Where in Orlando? [End of call]. Mateen then spoke to Orlando police’s Crisis Negotiation Team three times after the first call. During these communications, Mateen identified himself as an “Islamic soldier”. An FBI spokesman told reporters Mateen spoke in a “chilling, calm and deliberate manner.” He said there was no evidence that a foreign terrorist group was behind the shooting and that Mateen was likely radicalised domestically. Authorities had previously omitted IS and Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the so-called Islamic State, from the transcript, but re-issued a full version after facing a backlash. Republican US House Speaker Paul Ryan said that to redact the transcript was “preposterous”. (BBC)
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