American ISIS fighter praises Orlando gunman in new video

Washington, June 20: In a new video released by ISIS terror group, a man purporting to be an American fighter is shown praising the Orlando gay nightclub shooter and calling for more attacks on the US.

The video, released by the dreaded terror group yesterday, came exactly one week after Afghan-origin gunman Omar Mateen slaughtered 49 people inside a gay Florida nightclub, Fox News reported.

During Mateen's massacre, which also wounded 53 people, he called a 911 operator to pledge allegiance to the Islamic State (ISIS). The terror group quickly claimed credit for the attack. However, officials have said there was no direct guidance from the jihadist organisation.

Rather, it is believed Mateen was only inspired by ISIS to carry out his assault. But in the new video, identified by the non-governmental counter-terrorism organisation SITE, the American fighter urges other Muslims to be inspired by Mateen's actions.

"Omar Mateen, one of the soldiers of the (caliphate) was one of the few that was truthful to his lord," Abu Isma'il Al-Amriki is quoted as saying. Al-Amriki, which translates to 'The American', speaks in English and appears in a desert setting dressed in military- style fatigues and holding a rifle.

The video was released by ISIS' branch in western Iraq, according to SITE. ISIS terrorists of French, Indonesian, Russian and Uzbek backgrounds also appear in the video.

One of the Islamists reference a "surprise" operation during the Euro 2016 tournament in France, NBC reported. The slogan 'You are not held responsible except for yourself' is also featured in the video, with an image of US President Barack Obama on one side, Mateen on the other and images of the Orlando slaughter in-between.

"Do you think you're at war with a small group of Mujahedeen in Iraq, Syria, Libya and other places? You are sadly mistaken. And do you think you can defeat us by bombarding our homes with the help of your drones and F-16s (and government groups)? Then again, you have sadly made a great mistake," Al-Amriki says.

"Oh America, indeed you are at war with all the true and sincere Muslims around the world," he says.

PTI