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Orlando shooting: Barack Obama meets victims and pleads for unity

  • America is in mourning after the worst mass shooting in its history
  • Omar Mateen's attack on a gay nightclub in Orlando left 49 people dead
  • So-called Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack
  • President Obama says there is no clear evidence the gunman was directed by IS
  • Witnesses have claimed that Mateen was a regular visitor to the club he attacked
  • His wife said she tried to talk him out of conducting any kind of attack
  • His father has blamed security at the club for the attack
  • One gun shop refused to sell him ammunition as he was acting suspiciously

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US gunman cleared G4S background checks twice

Mateen opened fire in a gay nightclub in Orlando killing more than 50 people. Credit: Reuters

The Orlando gunman responsible for the deadliest shooting in American history cleared background checks at global security firm G4S, where he worked, twice.

Omar Mateen was employed by the company for nine years as an armed guard for a gated retirement community in South Florida.

The latest background check carried out by the firm - which he passed - was in 2013, G4S said.

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