Obama meets massacre survivors, assails homegrown terrorism

ORLANDO MOURNS

Orlando mourned the dead after what was also the worst attack in America on the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. Wakes were under way for at least three victims: Kimberly Morris, Anthony Luis Laureano Disla and Roy Fernandez.

Twenty-three of the 53 wounded remained hospitalized, six in critical condition, according to Orlando Regional Medical Center.

During his attack, Mateen also posted messages on Facebook.

One message, apparently referring to air strikes against Islamic State by the United States and its allies, said: "You kill innocent women and children by doing us air strikes ... now taste the Islamic State vengeance," according to a letter to Facebook from the chairman of the US Senate Committee on Homeland Security.

The attack sparked a fresh debate over how the United States responds to Islamist militant violence at home and abroad, with Republican Senator John McCain telling reporters on Thursday he viewed Obama as "directly responsible" for the Orlando attack due to his failure to prevent the rise of Islamic State.

Shortly afterward, McCain said on his official Twitter feed that he was referring to Obama's national security decisions, "not to the President himself."

Mateen carried out the slaughter with an assault weapon and handgun that had been legally purchased although he had twice been investigated in the past by the FBI for possible connections with militant Islamist groups.