Omar Mateen Widow Continues Claim of Ignorance, Pleads Not Guilty

Noor Salman is accused of aiding her husband, who murdered 49 people and injured 53 at a gay nightclub in Orlando.

Neal Broverman

Neal Broverman is the Editorial Director, Print of Pride Media, publishers of The Advocate, Out, Out Traveler, and Plus, spending more than 20 years in journalism. He indulges his interest in transportation and urban planning with regular contributions to Los Angeles magazine, and his work has also appeared in the Los Angeles Times and USA Today. He lives in the City of Angels with his husband, children, and their chiweenie.

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Neal Broverman

April 13 2017 5:54 PM EST

March 10 2019 9:33 PM EST

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The widow of Omar Mateen -- the Pulse nightclub shooter who pledged allegiance to ISIS before taking 49 lives in a June massacre -- pled not guilty on Wednesday to charges of aiding and abetting her husband and obstructing justice.

Salman made her plea in U.S. District Court in Orlando, after being transported last week from California. Salman has maintained she had no knowledge of Mateen's plans to attack the LGBT nightclub, but she was arrested in January and charged with providing material support to ISIS and obstructing the investigation. Her trial is set for June 5.

"Noor Salman had no foreknowledge nor could she predict what Omar Mateen intended to do that tragic night," Salman's attorney said in a statement.
"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, the daughter of Palestinian immigrants, claims Mateen beat and raped her throughout their marriage. She also disputed rumors that her husband was a closeted gay man.