A Turkish newspaper covering the horrific events of Sunday’s shooting in Orlando has evoked outrage for running a headline that read: “Death toll rises to 50 in bar where perverted homosexuals go”.
The homophobic headline refers to the Orlando mass shooting which took place in an LGBT nightclub and was carried out by an Islamic State-supporting gunman, who has been identified as 29-year-old Omar Mateen.
The newspaper, Yeni Akit – who has previously supported Al-Qaeda – also called those who died in the attack ‘perverts’ and ‘deviants’ in its strongly worded article. The headline appears to be celebrating the massacre, which Obama has described as an ‘act of terror’ and an ‘act of hate’.
The paper also has ties to Turkey’s Justice and Development Party, which Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan used to lead, the Mirror reports.
It is thought there were more than 300 people were inside the building at the time of the attack, and with at least 50 confirmed dead and 53 injured, it has become the worst mass shooting in American history.
In his statement, Obama said the U.S. is ‘united in grief, in outrage and resolve to defend our people’.
He added: “The FBI is appropriately investigating this as an act of terrorism, and I directed that we must spare no effort to determine, what, if any, inspiration or association this killer may have had with terrorist groups.”
ISIS has since claimed responsibility for the attack.
Amaq News Agency reported:
The armed attack that targeted a gay night club in the city of Orlando in the American state of Florida which left over 100 people dead or injured was carried out by an Islamic State fighter.
The claim came after the FBI said there were ‘suggestions’ Mateen had ‘leanings’ towards radical Islamic terrorism. His father has also spoken out, revealing he believes his son had homophobic motives.
Our thoughts are with the families and friends of all the victims at this time.
