'The FBI Blew It!' New Documents Reveal How Orlando Shooter Escaped Justice
July 18 2016, Updated 5:33 p.m. ET
FBI agents had Orlando nightclub shooter Omar Mateen in their sights as early as 2013, but new documents reveal they let him go — because they believed he did not pose a threat!
Conservative watchdog group Judicial Watch released previously unseen documents on Monday that reveal Mateen, the 29-year-old who gunned down dozens at Orlando nightclub Pulse in June, was considered harmless.
The FBI had investigated Mateen in 2013 when he was "employed by the security company G4S and served as a security guard at the St. Lucie County courthouse," Judicial Watch reported.
The documents include a 2013 email from the St. Lucie Sheriff's Department to the Sheriff's Department Director of Detention with comments from Randall Glass, the Florida regional resident in charge for the FBI.
"Rand told me 'We do NOT believe he is a terrorist,'" the email read. "Yesterday, the FBI spoke with him in person and reportedly Mateen became very upset that someone contacted the FBI. Regarding this demeanor, Rand said, 'I don't believe he will go postal or anything like that.'"
DAILY. BREAKING. CELEBRITY NEWS. ALL FREE.
The documents also reveal that the FBI knew Mateen was lying about statements that connected him to the "Boston Marathon bombers, the Fort Hood terrorist, and al Qaeda terrorists in Kenya," Judicial Watch wrote.
One portion of the email reads, "FBI concluded a several month long thorough investigation of one of our G4S employees, Omar Mateen, who works at the courthouse. Last night, I spoke with FBI SAC Rand Glass who informed me they believe this individual has been making comments about his capabilities via his alleged middle eastern terrorist contacts as a form of tit for tat – who is the biggest and baddest rhetoric. Reportedly, Mateen told FBI he did this because a deputy who no longer works at the courthouse kept calling him a 'towel head.' Mateen denied saying some of the things the FBI knows he did say. If he were smart he should not lie to them about any portion of the investigation (federal offense). They plan to speak to him again regarding his discrepancy."
"The documents show the FBI blew it," Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said. "The agency let Mateen off the hook even though he threatened his co-worker and tried to lie to the FBI agents questioning him about terrorist ties."