Orlando shooter's father is running for president of Afghanistan and has backed the Taliban

 

Mass shooter Omar Mateen’s father Seddique Mateen recently visited Congress, the State Department and met political leaders during a trip to Washington, DC. Mateen, who made the trip in April, is seen in social media posts posing in front of the State Department and Democratic Foreign Services Committee offices.

The Afghanistan native, who also regularly writes open letters to President Barack Obama, has expressed

gratitude Afghan Taliban who hosts the Durand Jirga Show on a channel called Payam-e-Afghan, which broadcasts from California.

Mateen posts open letters to President Barack Obama on Facebook, primarily focusing on Pakistan and Afghanistan

Dozens of videos are posted under Mateen’s name on YouTube, where he speaks on a range of political subjects in the Dari language. One video shows him declaring his candidacy for the Afghan presidency.

Posts include topics such as 'Rise Afghan people against Pakistan' and 'Intelligent service and Military of Pakistan real Enemy of the USA (sic)'.

In one video the elder Mateen holds up a sign that reads: 'ISI Pakistan and Military is Destroying 14 years of US work in Afghanistan to cut AID to killers'.

And in another, he tells the camera: 'Our brothers in Waziristan, our warrior brothers in [the] Taliban movement and national Afghan Taliban are rising up.

'Inshallah the Durand Line issue will be solved soon', according to a translation by The Washington Post.

He is also filmed expressing gratitude toward the Afghan Taliban, while denouncing the Pakistani government.

Only hours before the massacre in Orlando, Seddique posted a video called Provisional Government of Afghanistan on a Facebook page, which he describes as 'social activity for communities to develop a good relationship'.

The video is of himself dressed in army camouflage, where he appears to be pretending he is the president of Afghanistan, and orders the arrest of several high profile Afghan figures.

In the video he says: 'I order national army, national police and intelligence department to immediately imprison Karzai, Ashraf Ghani, Zalmay Khalilzad, Atmar, and Sayyaf.

'They are against our countrymen, and against our homeland.'

Back in March Seddique also founded a company called Provisional Government of Afghanistan, Corporation, which is registered at his home address in Florida.

It is unclear what, if anything, the company did - though it appears to be playing into his fantasy of running the country.

Another photo from his Facebook page shows Mateen wearing Army fatigues while saluting and holding a flag

The most recent video on Mateen's YouTube channel shows him declaring his candidacy for the Afghan presidency, dated May 24, 2015.

In the video, Mateen appears incoherent at times and switching between Pashto - the language of Pashtuns and Dari, as well jumping between topics in an erratic fashion.

Police were seen searching Seddique's property in Port St Lucie, Florida, today - with photographers walking into the home and officers inspecting vehicles and objects in the garage.

The four-bed home, valued at $221,000, is located on the same street where his son lived.

Records show that Seddique has no criminal history beyond a speeding ticket that he was issued back in 2006.

The Afghan presidential elections will be held on 15 October 2016. Much of the prelude to the election has focused on the debate over reforming Afghanistan's electoral laws.

Mateen has spoken out about his son's horrific act, telling NBC News: 'This has nothing to do with religion.'

Omar Mateen opened fire on the dance floor inside Pulse nightclub, Orlando, at around 2 am leaving about 50 people dead and 53 others wounded, officials confirmed late Sunday morning.

 Mateen is pictured above with US Representative for New York Charlie Rangel in an undated photograph

Seddique Mateen said that his son got angry when he saw two men kissing in Miami a couple of months ago and thinks that may be related to the shooting.

He added: 'We are saying we are apologizing for the whole incident. We weren't aware of any action he is taking. We are in shock like the whole country.'

The incident is being investigated by FBI as an act of terrorism .

Mateen Jnr was born in New York in 1986 and was listed as living at a residence in Port St. Lucie, about 125 miles south of Orlando.

Seddique Mateen also owns a nonprofit organization under the name Durand Jirga, which is registered in Port St. Lucie, Florida, Dailymail reports.