Wife of Pulse Nightclub Gunman Omar Mateen Arrested in San Francisco

Orlando gunman Omar Mateen's wife, Noor Salman, was arrested today.

ByABC News
January 16, 2017, 2:41 PM

— -- The wife of the gunman who carried out a mass shooting an Orlando, Florida, nightclub was arrested by the FBI today in San Francisco, the FBI and her lawyer said.

Gunman Omar Mateen's wife, Noor Salman, was charged with obstruction of justice and with aiding and abetting Mateen's attempted provision and provision of material support to ISIL, the U.S. Attorney’s office said, referring to the terror group also known as ISIS.

Salman's lawyer, Linda Moreno, said in a statement to ABC News, "Noor Salman had no foreknowledge nor could she predict what Omar Mateen intended to do that tragic night. Noor has told her story of abuse at his hands. We believe it is misguided and wrong to prosecute her and that it dishonors the memories of the victims to punish an innocent person."

Salman is expected to appear in court on Tuesday for a first appearance, her lawyer said. She is expected to be extradited to Florida, where she was indicted.

Mateen was killed in a police shootout after he carried out the June 12 mass shooting at Pulse nightclub that killed 49 people.

PHOTO: Law enforcement mobile command vehicles line the street next to the scene of the Pulse nightclub mass shooting, June 16, 2016, in Orlando, Florida.
Law enforcement mobile command vehicles line the street next to the scene of the Pulse nightclub mass shooting, June 16, 2016, in Orlando, Florida.

Orlando Police Chief John Mina was glad to learn Salman was arrested, he said in a statement today.

"Federal authorities have been working tirelessly on this case for more than seven months, and we are grateful that they have seen to it that some measure of justice will be served in this act of terror that has affected our community so deeply," Mina said. "Nothing can erase the pain we all feel about the senseless and brutal murders of 49 of our neighbors, friends, family members and loved ones. But today, there is some relief in knowing that someone will be held accountable for that horrific crime."

ABC News' Josh Margolin contributed to this report.

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