The widow of the gunman behind the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to charges she aided her husband in planning the attack.

Noor Salman, 30, entered her plea at a hearing in federal court in northern California where she was arrested on Monday in relation to last year&#39;s assault by her husband Omar Mateen.

The wife of Orlando nightclub gunman who killed 49 people in a deadly mass shooting pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to charges of aiding and abetting her husband in planning the attack.

Noor Salman, 30, was ordered to be detained by a federal court in northern California until her bail hearing on February 1.

Federal prosecutor Roger Handberg argued in a hearing on Tuesday that Salman knew about her husband&#39;s plans for the attack.

Salman&#39;s family claim that she was ignorant of her husband&#39;s intentions and was, in fact, a victim of domestic abuse.

&quot;We believe it is misguided and wrong to prosecute her and that it dishonors the memories of the victims to punish an innocent person,&quot; Linda Moreno, Salman&#39;s attorney, told local media.

If convicted, Salman faces up to life in prison.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested Noor Salman early on Monday at her home in California on suspicions that she knew about her husband&#39;s plans to carry out the attack.

The two-count indictment states that Noor Salman, who was arrested Monday in northern California, aided and abetted her husband&#39;s attempt to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organisation, namely the Islamic State group, AFP reported. The 30-year-old faces charges of obstruction of justice and misleading the authorities investigating the shooting.

Omar Mateen killed 49 people in an attack on Pulse gay nightclub in Orlando last year. He was killed in a shootout with the police. He pled allegiance to the Islamic State in a phone call to the dispatchers.

(With inputs from AFP)

The judge ordered Noor Salman to be detained pending a bail hearing on February 1

The widow of the gunman behind the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to charges she aided her husband in planning the attack. Noor Salman, 30, entered her plea at a hearing in federal court in northern California where she was arrested on Monday in relation to last year's assault by her husband Omar Mateen. The wife of Orlando nightclub gunman who killed 49 people in a deadly mass shooting pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to charges of aiding and abetting her husband in planning the attack. Noor Salman, 30, was ordered to be detained by a federal court in northern California until her bail hearing on February 1. Federal prosecutor Roger Handberg argued in a hearing on Tuesday that Salman knew about her husband's plans for the attack. Salman's family claim that she was ignorant of her husband's intentions and was, in fact, a victim of domestic abuse. "We believe it is misguided and wrong to prosecute her and that it dishonors the memories of the victims to punish an innocent person," Linda Moreno, Salman's attorney, told local media. If convicted, Salman faces up to life in prison. The Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested Noor Salman early on Monday at her home in California on suspicions that she knew about her husband's plans to carry out the attack. The two-count indictment states that Noor Salman, who was arrested Monday in northern California, aided and abetted her husband's attempt to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organisation, namely the Islamic State group, AFP reported. The 30-year-old faces charges of obstruction of justice and misleading the authorities investigating the shooting. Omar Mateen killed 49 people in an attack on Pulse gay nightclub in Orlando last year. He was killed in a shootout with the police. He pled allegiance to the Islamic State in a phone call to the dispatchers. (With inputs from AFP)

Wife of Orlando nightclub shooter pleads not guilty

The wife of Orlando nightclub shooter Omar Mateen was charged with obstruction of justice and terror-related offense on Tuesday.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested Noor Salman early on Monday at her home in California on suspicions that she knew about her husband&#39;s plans to carry out the attack.

The two-count indictment states that Noor Salman, who was arrested Monday in northern California, aided and abetted her husband&#39;s attempt to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, namely the Islamic State group, AFP reported.

The 30-year-old also faces charges of obstruction of justice and misleading the authorities investigating the shooting.

Mateen opened fire at the Pulse gay nightclub on June 12, 2016 killing 49 people in one of the deadliest mass shooting in US history. He was killed in a shootout with the police. Authorities said Mateen had become radicalised after watching online propaganda.

Salman appeared in federal court in Oakland on Tuesday.

Her next hearing is scheduled today (Wednesday) in a court in California. But US prosecutors expect her case to be transferred to Florida, said William Daniels, a local Justice Department spokesman, Reuters reported.

If convicted, Salman faces up to life in prison.

Al Salman, Salman&#39;s uncle, told reporters outside the courtroom that she was unaware about her husband&#39;s plans and was in fact&nbsp;abused by Mateen.

&quot;I know she&#39;s innocent, 100 per cent,&quot; Salman said, adding that her main concern was her child. &quot;She&#39;s innocent, simple person. She will not hurt a fly.&quot;

Media reported that Salman had called her husband after the news of the shooting broke. He texted her later asking if she had seen the news.

Salman is reported to have responded,&quot; I love you&quot;.

(With inputs from agencies)

The indictment states that Noor Salman aided and abetted her husband's attempt to provide material support to a terrorist organisation

The wife of Orlando nightclub shooter Omar Mateen was charged with obstruction of justice and terror-related offense on Tuesday. The Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested Noor Salman early on Monday at her home in California on suspicions that she knew about her husband's plans to carry out the attack. The two-count indictment states that Noor Salman, who was arrested Monday in northern California, aided and abetted her husband's attempt to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, namely the Islamic State group, AFP reported. The 30-year-old also faces charges of obstruction of justice and misleading the authorities investigating the shooting. Mateen opened fire at the Pulse gay nightclub on June 12, 2016 killing 49 people in one of the deadliest mass shooting in US history. He was killed in a shootout with the police. Authorities said Mateen had become radicalised after watching online propaganda. Salman appeared in federal court in Oakland on Tuesday. Her next hearing is scheduled today (Wednesday) in a court in California. But US prosecutors expect her case to be transferred to Florida, said William Daniels, a local Justice Department spokesman, Reuters reported. If convicted, Salman faces up to life in prison. Al Salman, Salman's uncle, told reporters outside the courtroom that she was unaware about her husband's plans and was in fact abused by Mateen. "I know she's innocent, 100 per cent," Salman said, adding that her main concern was her child. "She's innocent, simple person. She will not hurt a fly." Media reported that Salman had called her husband after the news of the shooting broke. He texted her later asking if she had seen the news. Salman is reported to have responded," I love you". (With inputs from agencies)

Wife of Orlando nightclub shooter charged with helping husband

The Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested the wife of Orlando nightclub shooter Omar Mateen at her home in California, a law enforcement official said.

Noor Salman was held on suspicions that she knew about her husband&#39;s plans to carry out the attack. He declined to provide further details of the arrest, but said she faced unspecified charges out of Florida.

Salman, who is of Palestinian descent, was taken into custory early on Monday, FBI spokesman Prentice Danner told AFP.

&quot;This is a matter that we continue to take very seriously,&quot; US attorney general Loretta Lynch said on MSNBC.

&quot;We said from the beginning we were going to look at every aspect of this case, every aspect of this shooter&#39;s life -- to determine not just why did he take these actions, but who else knew about them, was anyone else involved, is there any other accountability that needs to be had here in this case.&quot;

Mateen opened fire at the Pulse gay nightclub on June 12, 2016 killing 49 people in one of the deadliest mass shooting in US history.

Authorities said Mateen had become radicalised after watching online propaganda.

Media reported that Salman had called her husband after the news of the shooting broke. He texted her later asking if she had seen the news.

Salman is reported to have responded,&quot; I love you&#39;.

(With inputs from AFP)

Media reports have said that his wife Noor Salman may have had prior knowledge of his plan to carry out the massacre

The Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested the wife of Orlando nightclub shooter Omar Mateen at her home in California, a law enforcement official said. Noor Salman was held on suspicions that she knew about her husband's plans to carry out the attack. He declined to provide further details of the arrest, but said she faced unspecified charges out of Florida. Salman, who is of Palestinian descent, was taken into custory early on Monday, FBI spokesman Prentice Danner told AFP. "This is a matter that we continue to take very seriously," US attorney general Loretta Lynch said on MSNBC. "We said from the beginning we were going to look at every aspect of this case, every aspect of this shooter's life -- to determine not just why did he take these actions, but who else knew about them, was anyone else involved, is there any other accountability that needs to be had here in this case." Mateen opened fire at the Pulse gay nightclub on June 12, 2016 killing 49 people in one of the deadliest mass shooting in US history. Authorities said Mateen had become radicalised after watching online propaganda. Media reported that Salman had called her husband after the news of the shooting broke. He texted her later asking if she had seen the news. Salman is reported to have responded," I love you'. (With inputs from AFP)

Wife of Orlando nightclub shooter arrested

White House hopeful Donald&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;vowed Monday to &quot;suspend&nbsp;immigration&quot; from&nbsp;nations&nbsp;with links to&nbsp;terror&nbsp;attacks targeting the United States or its allies, one day after a Florida nightclub massacre.

&quot;When I&#39;m elected, I will&nbsp;suspend&nbsp;immigration&nbsp;from&nbsp;areas of the world where there is a proven&nbsp;history&nbsp;of terrorism against the United States, Europe or our allies, until we fully understand how to end these threats,&quot;&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;said during a national security speech in New Hampshire.

&quot;We cannot continue to allow thousands upon thousands of people to pour into our country, many of whom have the same thought process as this savage killer.&quot;

Trump&nbsp;rapped his likely opponent in the US presidential race, Democrat Hillary Clinton, by saying she is pushing to expand&nbsp;immigration&nbsp;and the nation&#39;s refugee program to allow more Syrians into the United States.

&quot;Clinton wants to allow radical Islamic terrorists to pour into our country,&quot; he said, highlighting how such extremists have enslaved women and murdered homosexuals.

&quot;Immigration&nbsp;is a privilege, and we should not let anyone in this country who doesn&#39;t support our communities.&quot;

Speaking of the Orlando shooter, who was born in New York to Afghan parents,Trump&nbsp;said &quot;the only reason the killer was in America in the first place was because we allowed his family to come here.&quot;

&quot;We have a dysfunctional&nbsp;immigration&nbsp;system which does not permit us to know who we let into our country,&quot; he added.

Trump&#39;s blunt comments come six months after he controversially called for a ban on Muslims entering the United States.

He also expressed strong support for America&#39;s gay community, following Sunday&#39;s attack on the gay nightclub in Orlando left 50 people dead including the shooter.

&quot;This is a very dark moment in America&#39;s&nbsp;history,&quot;&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;said.

&quot;It&#39;s a strike at the heart and soul of who we are as a nation,&quot; he added.&nbsp;&quot;It&#39;s an assault on the ability of free people to live their lives, love who they want and express their identity.&quot;

Trump's blunt comments come six months after he controversially called for a ban on Muslims entering the United States

White House hopeful Donald Trump vowed Monday to "suspend immigration" from nations with links to terror attacks targeting the United States or its allies, one day after a Florida nightclub massacre. "When I'm elected, I will suspend immigration from areas of the world where there is a proven history of terrorism against the United States, Europe or our allies, until we fully understand how to end these threats," Trump said during a national security speech in New Hampshire. "We cannot continue to allow thousands upon thousands of people to pour into our country, many of whom have the same thought process as this savage killer." Trump rapped his likely opponent in the US presidential race, Democrat Hillary Clinton, by saying she is pushing to expand immigration and the nation's refugee program to allow more Syrians into the United States. "Clinton wants to allow radical Islamic terrorists to pour into our country," he said, highlighting how such extremists have enslaved women and murdered homosexuals. "Immigration is a privilege, and we should not let anyone in this country who doesn't support our communities." Speaking of the Orlando shooter, who was born in New York to Afghan parents,Trump said "the only reason the killer was in America in the first place was because we allowed his family to come here." "We have a dysfunctional immigration system which does not permit us to know who we let into our country," he added. Trump's blunt comments come six months after he controversially called for a ban on Muslims entering the United States. He also expressed strong support for America's gay community, following Sunday's attack on the gay nightclub in Orlando left 50 people dead including the shooter. "This is a very dark moment in America's history," Trump said. "It's a strike at the heart and soul of who we are as a nation," he added. "It's an assault on the ability of free people to live their lives, love who they want and express their identity."

Trump would 'suspend immigration' from nations with terror history

A day before the&nbsp;Orlando, Florida, nightclub massacre, Luis Vielma, 22, updated his Facebook profile with a picture of himself standing with young people in front of a Disney castle and a caption that read: &quot;True friends who become family.&quot;

By Sunday night, his profile was altered to &quot;Remember Luis Vielma&quot; after police confirmed he was among 50 people killed in the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history.

As authorities frantically tried to notify all the relatives, the&nbsp;Orlando&nbsp;Police Department began publishing the&nbsp;names&nbsp;of&nbsp;victims on a city website on Sunday afternoon.

Among them was Vielma, who worked part-time as a rides attendant at the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey theme park ride, while studying physical therapy at Seminole State College, according to his Facebook profile.

Others included Edward Sotomayor Jr., 34, Stanley Almodovar III, 23, Luis Omar Ocasio-Capo, 20, Juan Ramon Guerrero, 22, Eric Ivan Ortiz-Rivera, 36, and Peter O. Gonzalez-Cruz, 22.

Police killed the gunman, who was identified as Omar Mateen, 29, a New York-born Florida resident and U.S. citizen who was the son of immigrants from Afghanistan, and officials were probing evidence suggesting the attack may have been inspired by Islamic State militants.

The sheer number of deaths appeared to overwhelm officials in&nbsp;Orlando, a city of 270,000 people.&nbsp;Orlando&nbsp;police asked mourners to hold off on vigils as they were understaffed to police them.

&quot;We understand our community is grieving and that vigils are being planned but PLEASE hold off on vigils &ndash; they represent a serious strain on our limited resources, which we need to dedicate to law enforcement and&nbsp;victims,&quot; the city posted on its official Twitter handle.

Sotomayor was a marketing manager at a Sarasota, Florida-based gay-themed travel company. His boss, Al Ferguson, said Sotomayor&#39;s partner was outside the nightclub putting something in the car when the shots rang out.

He got a text from Sotomayor telling him he was safe in the bathroom and not to come back into the club. Sotomayor texted again 20 minutes later to say he was OK. That was the last his partner heard from him, Ferguson said.

Sotomayor was a legend in the industry, Ferguson said. He booked tours for entertainer and drag queen RuPaul and put together the first gay cruise to Cuba last year. He was going to announce a second trip on Sunday, but was killed.

&quot;Anyone who booked gay cruises knew Sotomayor,&quot; Ferguson told Reuters. &quot;He was a great man.&quot;

In an Instagram post published on Sunday, RuPaul&#39;s Drag Race judge Michelle Visage called Sotomayor &quot;a joy.&quot;

&quot;I loved you on so many levels. You were SO SO special and will never be forgotten,&quot; she wrote. &quot;I promise you that.&quot;

Neighbors of Almodovar, a 23-year-old pharmacy technician, said his parents had recently moved back to Puerto Rico after his mother became ill with cancer. He was the youngest in the family.

The Facebook page for Almodovar, of Clermont, Florida, was flooded with shocked tributes. &quot;We&#39;ll miss you Stanley. You made an impact on everyone that you came around. A good person and friend,&rdquo; wrote Mark Nielsen of Deltona, Florida.

Images posted to Almodovar&#39;s wall over the years showed him socializing with dozens of friends.

&quot;I will always remember you,&quot; Jeannette Molina wrote. &quot;Your beautiful personality and spirit.&quot;

The sheer number of deaths appeared to overwhelm officials.?Orlando?police asked mourners to hold off on vigils as they were understaffed

A day before the Orlando, Florida, nightclub massacre, Luis Vielma, 22, updated his Facebook profile with a picture of himself standing with young people in front of a Disney castle and a caption that read: "True friends who become family." By Sunday night, his profile was altered to "Remember Luis Vielma" after police confirmed he was among 50 people killed in the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history. As authorities frantically tried to notify all the relatives, the Orlando Police Department began publishing the names of victims on a city website on Sunday afternoon. Among them was Vielma, who worked part-time as a rides attendant at the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey theme park ride, while studying physical therapy at Seminole State College, according to his Facebook profile. Others included Edward Sotomayor Jr., 34, Stanley Almodovar III, 23, Luis Omar Ocasio-Capo, 20, Juan Ramon Guerrero, 22, Eric Ivan Ortiz-Rivera, 36, and Peter O. Gonzalez-Cruz, 22. Police killed the gunman, who was identified as Omar Mateen, 29, a New York-born Florida resident and U.S. citizen who was the son of immigrants from Afghanistan, and officials were probing evidence suggesting the attack may have been inspired by Islamic State militants. The sheer number of deaths appeared to overwhelm officials in Orlando, a city of 270,000 people. Orlando police asked mourners to hold off on vigils as they were understaffed to police them. "We understand our community is grieving and that vigils are being planned but PLEASE hold off on vigils – they represent a serious strain on our limited resources, which we need to dedicate to law enforcement and victims," the city posted on its official Twitter handle. Sotomayor was a marketing manager at a Sarasota, Florida-based gay-themed travel company. His boss, Al Ferguson, said Sotomayor's partner was outside the nightclub putting something in the car when the shots rang out. He got a text from Sotomayor telling him he was safe in the bathroom and not to come back into the club. Sotomayor texted again 20 minutes later to say he was OK. That was the last his partner heard from him, Ferguson said. Sotomayor was a legend in the industry, Ferguson said. He booked tours for entertainer and drag queen RuPaul and put together the first gay cruise to Cuba last year. He was going to announce a second trip on Sunday, but was killed. "Anyone who booked gay cruises knew Sotomayor," Ferguson told Reuters. "He was a great man." In an Instagram post published on Sunday, RuPaul's Drag Race judge Michelle Visage called Sotomayor "a joy." "I loved you on so many levels. You were SO SO special and will never be forgotten," she wrote. "I promise you that." Neighbors of Almodovar, a 23-year-old pharmacy technician, said his parents had recently moved back to Puerto Rico after his mother became ill with cancer. He was the youngest in the family. The Facebook page for Almodovar, of Clermont, Florida, was flooded with shocked tributes. "We'll miss you Stanley. You made an impact on everyone that you came around. A good person and friend,” wrote Mark Nielsen of Deltona, Florida. Images posted to Almodovar's wall over the years showed him socializing with dozens of friends. "I will always remember you," Jeannette Molina wrote. "Your beautiful personality and spirit."

These were the 49 victims

The&nbsp;gunman&nbsp;who massacred 49 people at the Pulse&nbsp;club&nbsp;in&nbsp;Orlando&nbsp;was himself a&nbsp;regular&nbsp;at the&nbsp;gay&nbsp;nightspot, four clubgoers told the&nbsp;Orlando&nbsp;Sentinel on Monday.

&quot;Sometimes he would go over in the corner and sit and drink by himself, and other times he would get so drunk he was loud and belligerent,&quot; Ty Smith told the Sentinel, referring to slain shooter Omar Mateen, 29.

Smith told the paper that he saw Mateen inside at least a dozen times.

&quot;We didn&#39;t really talk to him a lot, but I remember him saying things about his dad at times,&quot; Smith said. &quot;He told us he had a wife and child.&quot;

Another Pulse&nbsp;regular, Kevin West, told the Los Angeles Times that Mateen messaged him on and off for a year using a&nbsp;gay&nbsp;chat app.

Other clubgoers told local media and MSNBC that Mateen had been using multiple&nbsp;gay&nbsp;apps, including Grindr, with mutual acquaintances to &quot;hook up.&quot;

Mateen also was at Walt Disney World in April, said a Disney manager who requested anonymity.

His wife, Noor Zahi Salman, was not cooperating with authorities, according to a law enforcement official who spoke on the condition of anonymity, the Sentinel said.

Forty-nine people were killed and 53 others wounded in the attack, which was also the deadliest mass&nbsp;shooting&nbsp;in US history.

FBI chief James Comey said his bureau was &quot;highly confident&quot; Mateen had been &quot;radicalized&quot; while consuming online propaganda and that he had claimed allegiance to Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in a series of calls during the attack.

And had been a regular at Pulse, the nightclub where he finally shot 49 people and wounded 53

The gunman who massacred 49 people at the Pulse club in Orlando was himself a regular at the gay nightspot, four clubgoers told the Orlando Sentinel on Monday. "Sometimes he would go over in the corner and sit and drink by himself, and other times he would get so drunk he was loud and belligerent," Ty Smith told the Sentinel, referring to slain shooter Omar Mateen, 29. Smith told the paper that he saw Mateen inside at least a dozen times. "We didn't really talk to him a lot, but I remember him saying things about his dad at times," Smith said. "He told us he had a wife and child." Another Pulse regular, Kevin West, told the Los Angeles Times that Mateen messaged him on and off for a year using a gay chat app. Other clubgoers told local media and MSNBC that Mateen had been using multiple gay apps, including Grindr, with mutual acquaintances to "hook up." Mateen also was at Walt Disney World in April, said a Disney manager who requested anonymity. His wife, Noor Zahi Salman, was not cooperating with authorities, according to a law enforcement official who spoke on the condition of anonymity, the Sentinel said. Forty-nine people were killed and 53 others wounded in the attack, which was also the deadliest mass shooting in US history. FBI chief James Comey said his bureau was "highly confident" Mateen had been "radicalized" while consuming online propaganda and that he had claimed allegiance to Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in a series of calls during the attack.

Shooter had been using gay apps to 'hook up'

Facebook Inc activated its &ldquo;Safety Check&rdquo; function on Sunday for the first time in the United States after a gunman massacred 50 people at a nightclub in Orlando, Florida.

The Safety Check, first introduced in October 2014, allows Facebook users to spread the word that they are safe in wake of a natural disaster or a crisis, and allows searches for those who might be in the affected area.

&quot;Waking up this morning, I was horrified to hear about the shooting in Orlando. My thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families and the LGBT community,&quot; said Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg on his official account.

A gunman armed with an assault rifle killed 50 people at a packed gay nightclub in Orlando on Sunday in the worst mass shooting in US&nbsp;history. Police killed the shooter at the Pulse nightclub, who was identified as Omar Mateen, a 29-year-old Florida resident and US&nbsp;citizen.

The incident quickly emerged as a top trending topic on Facebook and Twitter with hashtag #PrayforOrlando being one of the top posts throughout the day.

Last year, Facebook vowed to turn on the Safety Check more often during disasters in response to criticism that it enabled the function after Islamic State militant attacks on Paris and not a day earlier when a bomb killed at least 43 people in Beirut.

The shooting incident quickly emerged as a top trending topic on Facebook and Twitter with hashtag #PrayforOrlando

Facebook Inc activated its “Safety Check” function on Sunday for the first time in the United States after a gunman massacred 50 people at a nightclub in Orlando, Florida. The Safety Check, first introduced in October 2014, allows Facebook users to spread the word that they are safe in wake of a natural disaster or a crisis, and allows searches for those who might be in the affected area. "Waking up this morning, I was horrified to hear about the shooting in Orlando. My thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families and the LGBT community," said Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg on his official account. A gunman armed with an assault rifle killed 50 people at a packed gay nightclub in Orlando on Sunday in the worst mass shooting in US history. Police killed the shooter at the Pulse nightclub, who was identified as Omar Mateen, a 29-year-old Florida resident and US citizen. The incident quickly emerged as a top trending topic on Facebook and Twitter with hashtag #PrayforOrlando being one of the top posts throughout the day. Last year, Facebook vowed to turn on the Safety Check more often during disasters in response to criticism that it enabled the function after Islamic State militant attacks on Paris and not a day earlier when a bomb killed at least 43 people in Beirut.

Orlando shooting triggers Facebook 'Safety Check' for first time in US