Orlando Terrorist’s Friend: I Contacted FBI About Mateen After He Praised Radical Cleric And Said Mateen Should Be ‘Looked Into’

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During an interview broadcast on Tuesday’s “CBS Evening News,” Mohammad Malik, a friend of Omar Mateen, the perpetrator of the Orlando terrorist attack who knew the shooter for 10 years and attended the same mosque said that he reported Mateen to the FBI after Mateen praised radical cleric Anwar al-Awlaki.

Malik said that Mateen described al-Awlaki’s videos as “very powerful.” A statement that prompted him to report Mateen to the FBI. Malik stated that he told the FBI that while he didn’t think Mateen fit the profile of a terrorist, but he should be “looked into, just to prevent anything bad from happening.”

According to CBS, Malik also told them that the FBI never contacted him about Mateen after they cleared Mateen of suspicion following a second investigation.

Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett

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