Gov. Rick Scott Criticizes Departemt Of Justice For Redactions in Orlando Shooter’s 911 Call
By Allison Nielsen, Sunshine State News // June 21, 2016
shooter claimed allegiance to ISIS
ORLANDO, FLORIDA (SUNSHINE STATE NEWS) — On Monday, the FBI released an excerpt of the 911 call from the shooter who killed 49 people at Orlando gay nightclub last Sunday, and Gov. Rick Scott criticized the Justice Department for a series of redaction’s made in the transcript.
The brief transcript was released on the agency’s website just before holding a press conference near the site of the massacres. The brief three page release redacted several references the shooter made to the terrorist group ISIS. Scott, as well as many other Republicans, are skeptical over the agency’s decision to redact the shooter claiming allegiance to the Islamic State.
The transcript reads as follows:
OD: Emergency 911, this is being recorded.
OM: In the name of God the Merciful, the beneficial [in Arabic]
OD: What?
OM: 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.
OD: What’s your name?
OM: My name is I pledge of allegiance to [omitted].
OD: Ok, What’s your name?
OM: I pledge allegiance to [omitted] may God protect him [in Arabic], on behalf of [omitted].
OD: Alright, where are you at?
OM: In Orlando.
OD: Where in Orlando?
[End of call.]
Scott appeared on Fox News Monday morning and slammed U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch for not being fully transparent with the transcript and not focusing on ISIS, which he says was the real problem behind the shootings.
“This is another example of not focusing on the evil here,” he told Fox News host Bill Hemmer. “This is evil, it’s ISIS, it’s radical Islam.”
Scott says the Justice Department is failing to give answers for what was really behind the Orlando terror attack.
“I have gone to funerals, I’ve sat down and cried with the parents. I’ve gone and visited individuals in the hospitals,” he said.
They are grieving. Now, they want answers. If it was my family I would want answers, and you would too. We all would like answers. She (Attorney General Loretta Lynch) should release everything that doesn’t impact the investigation.”
Lynch said the department didn’t release the full details because it didn’t want to re-victimize those who suffered through the tragedy.
The governor wasn’t alone in his sentiments. House Speaker Paul Ryan called the selective editing “preposterous,” criticizing the Obama administration over the decision.
“The administration should release the full, unredacted transcript so the public is clear-eyed about who did this, and why,” Ryan said in a statement.
The FBI defended their redactions.
“Part of the redacting is meant to not give credence to individuals who have done terrorist attacks in the past,” said FBI assistant special agent Ron Hopper. “We’re not going to propagate their violent rhetoric.”
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